HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Legal Costs

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much was spent on legal advice and services in each year from 1997 to date; and how much in each such year was paid to Carter-Ruck and Partners.

Nick Harvey: The cost of legal advice and services has been as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Legal advice  Other legal costs  Total costs  Carter- Ruck and Partners 
			 2003-04 108,921 — 108,921 — 
			 2004-05 96,737 96,154 192,891 — 
			 2005-06 196,283 79,159 275,442 — 
			 2006-07 134,515 596,586 731,101 — 
			 2007-08 to date 243,337 309,266 552,603 21,517 
		
	
	The other legal costs include fees paid in connection with the refurbishment of Norman Shaw South, and the construction of Portcullis House and the Visitor Reception Building. Details of similar costs prior to 2003 are not available.
	Two previous answers on legal costs—4 June 2007,  Official Report, column 23W, and 23 July 2007,  Official Report, column 659W—included some costs that had been incorrectly allocated to particular years. The figures now provided, correct the earlier position.

Parking

Greg Knight: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what air filtering, circulating or cleansing system services the hon. Members' underground car park; when this system was last operational; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The underground car park ventilation system was installed around 1977 when the car park was built. It services all car park levels using a supply and extract air plant with filters and duct work.
	The system is maintained and inspected on a monthly basis. This was last done on 17 March 2008. Deep cleaning of the ducts was last completed during 2007. The system was last fully operational around 2001 when the original automatic system controls needed to be replaced with an interim manual controls arrangement. Since then a reduced level of air changes has been provided. However, the rate of air change will be increased by 21 April 2008 to the original level. Major refurbishment of the system is planned currently for 2010-11.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what visits he made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1st January 2005 to 31st December 2007; and what events he attended at each.

Des Browne: I have not visited any of the listed venues in a ministerial capacity between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2007.

Official Engagements

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his official engagements were between 25 February and 1 April 2008.

Des Browne: Throughout the period 25 February and 1 April, I had various meetings in London and Scotland, including with ministerial colleagues and officials from the MOD and Scotland Office. In addition, on 26 February I had a video/telephone conference with the NATO Secretary-General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. On 28 February, I met the Australian high commissioner. On 29 February, I visited HMS Gannet and met with representatives of the Scottish Pensioners Forum in Edinburgh. On 3 March, I answered Defence questions in the House of Commons and, in the evening, attended the graduation reception of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. On 4 March I had separate meetings with the Dutch ambassador, with Dr. Paul Sender, the recently-returned head of the British Health Organisation in Afghanistan, and with a representative of the media. On 5 March, I answered Scottish questions in the House of Commons. On 6 March, had a meeting with Gerry Grimstone, the chairman of Standard Life. I also had meetings with the Albanian Defence Minister, with former Chiefs of the Defence Staff in the House of Lords, and with my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies) on the Armed Forces National Recognition Study. On 8 March, I attended a Veterans Badge presentation event in Edinburgh and the RBS six nations Scotland versus England rugby match at Murrayfield. On 19 March, I met representatives of the Scottish War Widows Association at 10 Downing Street. On 25 March, I met the bereaved mother of a serviceman. On 26 March, I gave an interview to a national newspaper and attended President Sarkozy's parliamentary address at the House of Commons. On 27 March, I attended the Anglo-French Summit, which included a bilateral meeting with the French Defence Minister. On 31 March, I attended the launch for Stephen Walker's book, "Shot at Dawn". On 1 April, I attended the Media Launch of TA100, the 100th anniversary of the Territorial Army, at the Tower of London and the fly past for the RAF 90th anniversary at MOD Main Building.

Official Visits

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what visits he has made in his capacity as Secretary of State for Scotland since July 2007.

Des Browne: My Ministry of Defence and Scotland Office diaries and public engagements are closely co-ordinated, it is therefore appropriate to cover both portfolios in the response for completeness.
	On 10 July, I visited Berlin for a meeting with the German Defence Minister. On 12 and 13 July I was in Belgium to attend the Tyne Cot ceremony and for a meeting with Javier Solana. Between the 13 and 15 July, I visited Paris to attend Bastille Day celebrations. On 21 July, I was at the University of Strathclyde for the UK Youth Parliament annual sitting. On 1 August I visited Standard Life in Edinburgh, and on 2 August I visited Aegon and Selex Sensors in Edinburgh. On 3 August I went to visit Rolls Royce in East Kilbride, and on 4 August I had dinner with General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Edinburgh. The following day, I attended the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland performance in Glasgow. Between 6 and 10 August I was in Afghanistan. On 11 August, I attended the FEBA Highland Games event at Strathclyde country park, Motherwell, and then saw a performance of On Danfe at Edinburgh Playhouse. I visited WL Gore Co. Ltd. in Livingstone on 14 August, and on the 16 August I visited Seebyte in Edinburgh. The following day I visited Mahle Engine Systems in East Kilbride and watched the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela concert in Edinburgh. On Sunday 19 August I spoke at the Celebration of Indian Independence dinner in Glasgow. On Monday 20 August I visited Highland Spring. Later that day I visited the Diageo Bottling Plant in Glasgow and attended the Scottish Council for Development and Industry dinner in Glasgow. I was in Edinburgh on 22 August to visit a Waterfront regeneration project, and then travelled to Glasgow for an afternoon meeting with the STUC at their offices. On 23 August I visited REPower Aberdeen, and also visited a Scotch whisky distillery. Between 27 and 29 August I was in Greenland to meet the Danish Defence Minister.
	On 12 September I hosted a Conflict Resolution Seminar at the University of Glasgow. On 13 September I visited 52 Brigade and a Medical Centre in Edinburgh. On 20 September I attended the opening of the new BBC building at Pacific Quay, Glasgow. On 25 September I paid a visit to the Royal Armoured Corps at Bovington. On 28 and 29 September I was in Lisbon for EU informal ministerial meetings. On 11 October I went to HMS Albion for a Project Compass dinner, and on 12 October I attended the armed forces memorial dedication ceremony in Staffordshire. On 13 October I was a guest at the Scotland versus Ukraine Euro 2008 qualifier at Hampden park. On 14 October I listened to the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland Futures performance in Glasgow. On 15 October I visited the UK Pinnacle Course at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham, and on 18 October, I was in Crawley for a debate on Trident. On 19 October I visited 12 Mechanised Brigade at Tidworth and Bulford. On 20 October I attended the Trafalgar night dinner on HMS Victory. On 24 and 25 October I was at the NATO informal defence ministerial meetings in the Netherlands, and on 26 October I attended the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce business breakfast and I was at the launch of Stagecoach's bio-diesel coaches in Kilmarnock.
	From 29 October to 2 November I was in Iraq. On 9 November I visited Diageo, in Ochil, Stirling, before attending the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on 10 November, and the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Whitehall on 11 November. On 14 November I attended the SSAFA Corporate Friends reception at Chatham House. On 17 November I watched Scotland play Italy at Hampden park, Glasgow. On 19 November I visited Brussels for the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting. On Friday 23 November, I addressed the State of the City Economy conference in Glasgow.
	On 1 December, I visited Longannet Power Station, Alloa, and the Scottish Interfaith Week Come and Play the Diversity Game event in Edinburgh. On 5 December I attended the SSAFA carol service in London. Between 7 and 10 December I was in Afghanistan. On 13 and 14 December I attended the RC South meeting in Edinburgh. On 20 December I visited Bassingbourne for the Army Training Regiment Pass off Parade.
	On 3 and 4 January I visited Brussels for meetings with the UK Representative to NATO, and on 5 January I visited headquarters in Northern Ireland. I watched the Cirque du Soleil with Canadian high commissioner at the Royal Albert Hall on 8 January. On 22 January I opened the 'Scots in Quebec' exhibition at Canada house, London, with Premier Charest of Quebec. On 25 January I visited 51 Brigade, Stirling, the Solve It project in Falkirk and the Glasgow Works project in Glasgow. On 31 January I visited Headley court and the Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow. I was in Geneva on 5 February for the Nuclear Disarmament conference and SERA new year reception, and then from 6 to 8 February I attended the NATO informal defence ministerial meetings in Lithuania. On 11 February I visited Babcocks at Rosyth Dockyard, and on 12 February I visited the Defence Academy at Shrivenham. On 15 February I visited Thales Optronics in Glasgow. On 21 and 22 February I was in Slovenia for EU informal defence ministerial meetings.

WALES

Brabners Chaffe Street LLP

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1298W, on Brabners, Chaffe and Street, how much has been paid to Brabners, Chaffe and Street; what the estimated figure is to be paid on completion for its work; for what reasons this work was outsourced; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: I am informed by the Environment Agency Wales that as at 31 March 2008, the Environment Agency had paid £29,080 net of VAT to Brabners Chaffe Street LLP in respect of their legal fees. This work was outsourced to Brabners Chaffe Street LLP to provide advice on matters relating to defamation and issues of reputation. It is a firm recognised for dealing with such issues.

Brofiscin Quarry

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1302W, on Pollution: Brofiscin Quarry, what factors the Environment Agency will take into account when deciding when it is practicable to place the information on the public register.

Paul Murphy: I have been informed by the Environment Agency Wales that the legislation and statutory guidance do not specify what factors the Environment Agency should consider in deciding when it is practicable to place the prescribed information on the public register. The Government view is simply that it should be added as soon as reasonably practicable, so for example, the prescribed details of a Remediation Notice should be added as soon as reasonably practicable after the service of that notice.

Clear Communication

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what payments his Department has made to communications consultancy Clear in the last five years; and what the purpose of such payments was.

Paul Murphy: None.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of his departmental website.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office spent £10,500 to redesign and implement the new website and we pay £6,936 per annum for website hosting.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since May 1997.

Paul Murphy: None.

Departmental Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what  (a) surveys,  (b) questionnaires and  (c) other services were provided by polling companies for his Department in financial year 2007-08, broken down by company.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office did not employ polling companies in the financial year 2007-08.

Douglas Gowan

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for what reasons Mr. Douglas Gowan's original  (a) witness statements and  (b) evidentiary materials submitted to the Environment Agency were destroyed; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: I am informed by the Environment Agency Wales that the Environment Agency has not destroyed any original documents or evidentiary materials belonging to Mr. Douglas Gowan. Where original documents and evidentiary materials had been received by the Environment Agency from Mr. Gowan, they have been returned to him.
	On 2 November 2007, Mr. Gowan requested that all copies of those originals be 'shredded'. The Environment Agency has complied with that request.

JP Morgan

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department and its predecessors paid to JP Morgan in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each payment was.

Paul Murphy: Since the Wales Office was established in 1999, we have not made any payments to JP Morgan.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the value was of each contract awarded by his Department and its predecessors to Karian and Box since 1997.

Paul Murphy: Since the Wales Office was established in 1999, my Department has not awarded contracts to Karian and Box.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department and its predecessors paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Paul Murphy: Since the Wales Office was established in 1999, we have not made any payments to Zurich Financial Services.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Leader of the House how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of her Office's website.

Helen Goodman: The cost for the redesign and formatting of the Leader's website was £3,968 excluding VAT.

Members: Allowances

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House what criteria were used to establish the 10,000 mile threshold below which hon. Members' car travel is reimbursed at 40p per mile.

Helen Goodman: Since 1 April 2005, hon. Members have been entitled to claim mileage allowances in line with Inland Revenue rates (now HM Revenue and Customs rates), which are 40p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles travelled in a year and 25p per mile thereafter. This was decided by Resolution of the House on 3 November 2004. The Resolution was in line with a recommendation by the Senior Salaries Review Body of October 2004, Cm 6354-1, paragraphs 4.50-52, which gave the following rationale:
	"The approved IR rate is calculated to represent the actual cost of motoring, including fuel costs, wear and tear (including servicing and depreciation), road fund licence, and insurance. We received no evidence to justify why MPs should be entitled to a more advantageous rate."

Salisbury Convention

David Drew: To ask the Leader of the House whether she has had discussions with the authorities in the House of Lords on the interpretation of the Salisbury Convention in relation to the European Union (Amendment) Bill.

Helen Goodman: My right hon. Friend the Leader of the House has had no such discussions.

Welsh Grand Committee

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Leader of the House how many times the Welsh Grand Committee has met in each Parliament since 1997; and what the  (a) dates of,  (b) venues of,  (c) subjects debated at and  (d) Ministers attending each meeting were.

Helen Goodman: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  Date  Venue  Subject  Ministers attending (excluding whips) (Wales Office unless indicated) 
			 30 June 1997 Mold Government's programme for Wales Ron Davies: Secretary of State 
			Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries 
			 
			 18 November 1997 Westminster North Wales and Government proposal for Welsh Assembly Ron Davies: Secretary of State 
			Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries 
			 
			 16 December 1997 Westminster Government expenditure in Wales Ron Davies: Secretary of State 
			Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries 
			 
			 5 May 1998 Carmarthen Rural economy in Wales and questions Ron Davies: Secretary of State 
			Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries 
			 
			 13 July 1998 Merthyr Tydfil New economic agenda in Wales Ron Davies: Secretary of State 
			Peter Hain, Win Griffiths: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries 
			 
			 16 December 1998 Westminster Government expenditure in Wales, 1999-2000 to 2001-02 Alun Michael: Secretary of State 
			Peter Hain, Jon Owen Jones: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries 
			 
			 22 February 1999 Aberavon Transport policy in Wales Alun Michael: Secretary of State 
			Peter Hain, Jon Owen Jones: Parliamentary Under-Secretaries 
			 
			 14 December 1999 Westminster Government's legislative programme and the Chancellor's pre-Budget report Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 4 April 2000 Westminster The Budget statement and its implications for Wales Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 16 May 2000 Westminster Welsh economy Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 20 June 2000 Westminster Social exclusion in Wales Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			Alistair Darling: Secretary of State for Social Security 
			 
			 19 July 2000 Westminster No subject specified Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 11 December 2000 Westminster The Government's legislative programme as outlined in the Queen's Speech and the Chancellor's pre-Budget statement as they relate to Wales Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 13 February 2001 Westminster Building safer communities in Wales Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 12 March 2001 County Hall, Cwmbran The Budget statement and its implications for Wales Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			David Hanson: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			  Total meetings 1997-2001 Parliament: 15 
			 
			 3 July 2001 Westminster The Government's legislative programme, as outlined in the Queen's Speech as it relates to Wales Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 28 November 2001 Westminster Pre-Budget statement and its implications for Wales Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 24 April 2002 Westminster The matter of the Budget statement and its implications for Wales Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 16 July 2002 Westminster Draft National Health Service (Wales) Bill Paul Murphy: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 21 November 2002 Westminster The Government's legislative programme as outlined in the Queen's Speech as it relates to Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 5 December 2002 Westminster Government's pre-Budget report as it relates to Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 24 June 2003 Westminster The economy in Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 15 July 2003 Westminster Draft Public Audit (Wales) Bill Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 16 December 2003 Westminster Matter of the Government's legislative programme as outlined in the Queen's Speech as it relates to Wales and public expenditure in Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 24 March 2004 Westminster Budget statement and its implications for Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 6 July 2004 Westminster Report of the Richard Commission Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 20 July 2004 Westminster Draft Transport (Wales) Bill Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 7 December 2004 Westminster Government's legislative programme as outlined in the Queen's Speech as it relates to Wales and public expenditure in Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			  Total meetings 2001-05 Parliament: 13 
			 
			 23 June 2005 Westminster Government's legislative programme as outlined in the Queen's Speech as it relates to Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Nick Ainger: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 19 April 2006 Westminster The Budget statement and its implications for Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Nick Ainger: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			Don Touhig: Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Defence 
			 
			 13 December 2006 Westminster Government's legislative programme as it relates to Wales and public expenditure in Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Nick Ainger: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 12 December 2007 Westminster Government's legislative programme as it relates to Wales and public expenditure in Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Huw Irranca-Davies: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			 
			 26 March 2008 Westminster Budget statement and its implications for Wales Peter Hain: Secretary of State 
			Huw Irranca-Davies: Parliamentary Under-Secretary 
			  Total meetings 2005 Parliament to date: 5 
			  Source: Journal Office and Official Report of Welsh Grand Committee debates

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Air Pollution: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason Peterborough City Council was not selected for the air quality grant programme in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Local authorities are required to work towards meeting the air quality objectives in the Air Quality Regulations 2000 by designating air quality management areas where concentrations of any of the seven pollutants in the regulations exceed, or are likely to exceed, the stated objectives. To help local authorities do this, DEFRA operates an air quality grant scheme, a capital grant for which local authorities bid. The total amount of this grant, which is divided between successful authorities, is approximately £2.3 million per year. While Peterborough city council was aware of the air quality grant, the council has not applied for the past three years.

Animal Welfare: Supermarkets

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with major supermarket chains on animal welfare standards.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA has frequent communications with supermarkets on a wide range of issues, including animal welfare.

Animals: Disease Control

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent review he has undertaken of his Department's contingency plans, including for  (a) the mobilisation of veterinary staff and  (b) tackling future animal disease outbreaks.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA'S latest revised generic Contingency Plan for Exotic Animal Diseases for England, which includes arrangements for the mobilisation of veterinary staff, was laid before Parliament on 10 December 2007. The plan is amended annually (as required under the Animal Health Act 2002) and covers arrangements for dealing with a range of exotic animal diseases.
	The aim is to ensure that the Government and others have contingency plans in place to deal with disease outbreaks. The effective and speedy deployment of veterinary staff and expertise has long been a prime consideration.
	Dr. Iain Anderson conducted an independent review into the lessons learned from the response to the 2007 outbreak of foot and mouth disease, and the Government are considering the recommendations made. The review is published on the DEFRA website.

Animals: Imports

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of  (a) reptiles and  (b) birds being imported from (i) within and (ii) outside the European Union were recorded on the Trade Control and Export System in each year since 2000.

Joan Ruddock: The TRACES system is run by the European Commission; using the system became compulsory from the start of 2005. Records exist for 2004 though, as TRACES was not then compulsory, these are not comparable with later years.
	
		
			  Number of consignments recorded on TRACES for each year: 
			   Within the EU  Outside the EU 
			  2004   
			 Reptiles 2 89 
			 Birds(1) 107 37 
			
			  2005   
			 Reptiles 18 233 
			 Birds(1) 962 90 
			
			  2006   
			 Reptiles 12 248 
			 Birds(1) 787 8 
			
			  2007   
			 Reptiles 13 289 
			 Birds(1) 964 14 
			 (1 )Non-poultry but includes game

Beef

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what impact assessment he has made in relation to Annex III, Section V, Chapter III, point 2 (B) of Regulation (EC) number 853/2004 and beef production in the UK.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) was completed as part of the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) consultation on the European Commission proposals to consolidate and simplify European Union (EU) hygiene legislation in 2004 that came into force on 1 January 2006. This covered all the proposals in the legislation, and a copy of the RIA has been placed in the Library and is also available from the FSA's website at:
	www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/EURegulationsRIA.pdf
	In October 2007, as part of the FSA's proposals to adapt the EU legislation to allow the continuation of the English tradition of ageing meat that is used to produce minced meat, an impact assessment was completed. This document has been placed in the Library and also is available on the FSA's website at:
	www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/hyg08engia09.pdf

Beef

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the proposals for the regulation of mince in Annex III, Section V, Chapter III, point 2 (B) to Regulation (EC) number 853/2004.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	Regulation (EC) 853/2004 of 29 April 2004 laid down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin and is one of three sets of food hygiene legislation that came into force on 1 January 2006. The requirements, in that legislation, regarding the production of minced meat (Annex III, Section V, Chapter III, paragraph 2(b)) are the same as those that were in force for trade between member states prior to 1 January 2006. Between March 2004 and June 2004 industry and other stakeholders were consulted on the European Commission proposals to consolidate and simplify European Union food hygiene legislation; there were 71 responses to the consultation from a range of stakeholders on all aspects of the simplification of the legislation.

Bluetongue Disease: Vaccination

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of livestock owners he estimates would take-up blue tongue vaccinations if such a programme were to be introduced.

Jonathan R Shaw: Although we have made no formal estimate of likely take-up of vaccine, the advice of industry stakeholders is that take-up will be high in a voluntary scheme, especially with an active approach to promoting vaccination. As individual keepers will be responsible for the costs of vaccination, our aim, in close collaboration with a core group of industry stakeholders, has been to develop a vaccination programme which will reduce the cost of vaccination to a minimum by using existing delivery chains and reducing regulatory burdens in order to encourage maximum participation.

Carbon Emissions: Nuclear Power Stations

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the carbon dioxide output of uranium fuel for nuclear power stations will be taken into account in estimating the UK's carbon footprint.

Phil Woolas: Carbon dioxide emissions from the production and reprocessing of nuclear fuel in the UK are taken into account in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Carbon dioxide emissions associated with energy use in the mining or extraction of uranium are reported in the emissions inventories of the country where the activities occur.

Catchment Sensitive Farming Project

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which  (a) projects and  (b) locations are part of his Department's catchment sensitive farming project.

Jonathan R Shaw: The England catchment sensitive farming delivery initiative has been in place since April 2006 and is being delivered jointly by Natural England and the Environment Agency on behalf of DEFRA. It is currently based in priority catchments covering a little over a third of the agricultural area of England and its purpose is to encourage farmers to take voluntary action to tackle diffuse water pollution, mainly from nitrates, phosphorus, sediment, pesticides and livestock faeces.
	The main elements of the initiative are: 40 priority catchments served by a network of 42 catchment sensitive farming officers working locally; a programme of farmer workshops, farm demonstrations and farm visits; partnership with the pesticides voluntary initiative; local catchment steering groups bringing together farmers, water companies and other stakeholders; a capital grant scheme. In its first two years the initiative also supported 20 projects, with similar aims and objectives, in other catchments.
	In February 2008 DEFRA launched Future Water, the Government's new water strategy for England. This stated that DEFRA will continue to support farmers on catchment sensitive farming for a further three years. DEFRA has since confirmed that the England catchment sensitive farming delivery initiative will receive funding of £12.9 million in 2008-09. Most of the initial programme is being rolled forward for a period of six months, with a new programme planned from October.

Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has worked on research with the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy based jointly at the London School of Economics and the University of Leeds.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA has not carried out any research with the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy. The Centre will be set up in October 2008.

Climate Change

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his highest projection is of the average annual temperature for the UK in 2050.

Phil Woolas: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report includes 'high-end' projections for global temperature rise from an ensemble of climate models. These are based on close to business-as-usual Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) (for example, A2 and A1B).
	Using these projections, our current best estimate for a high-end UK-wide average annual temperature increase by 2050 (relative to 1990) is approximately 1.75° C.
	In general terms, there is relatively little differentiation in temperature projections at 2050, no matter what emissions scenario is chosen. However, later this century, the gap between high-end and low-end scenarios will widen.

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what visits he made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007; and what events he attended at each.

Jonathan R Shaw: It would be possible to provide the information requested only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Publications

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance is issued to members of his Department on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Civil Service Code, the Civil Service Management Code and Propriety Guidance on Government Communications, all provide guidance to staff on the publication of material relating to their official duties. Copies of each of these are in the Libraries of the House. They are also available on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Departmental Video Conferencing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will set a target to increase the use of video-conferencing by his Department to reduce the need to travel to meetings.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA is working hard to identify where we can reduce the need to travel, through the use of video conferencing and other alternatives, and when travel is necessary, to encourage staff to make the most sustainable choices.
	We are working with our IT strategic supplier IBM and Tandberg to install the infrastructure necessary to make available the next breed of video conferencing services based around IP rather than ISDN telecommunication protocols and fixed v/conf studios. This will improve the availability, quality and mobility of the v/conf service and make it a more attractive alternative option for staff to choose when travelling to meetings would normally be required.
	But we recognise it is not a panacea for all meetings. Initial contacts and team building often require physical, face-to-face meetings to ensure good team relationships are built before moving to electronic meeting spaces. We also recognise that there are other technologies that can impact on the need for meetings—e.g. a quick teleconference session can often be appropriate and sufficient if there is a single issue to resolve among a small number of people.
	We will also be setting up SharePoint team spaces to provide a repository of shared resources, discussion threads and wikis etc. that should reduce the need for meetings in the first place and support the move of the core department to a more project-orientated structure.
	DEFRA is looking to these new technologies to assist in meeting its new travel targets to:
	reduce carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles by 15 per cent. by 2011-12 (from a 2005-06 baseline)
	achieve a new fleet emissions average of 130g/k by 2010
	reduce carbon dioxide emissions from air travel by 5 per cent. by 2008-09 (from a 2006-07 baseline)
	achieve an overall reduction in the amount of travel undertaken across the core-department
	More specifically we will look to see an increase in take-up and use of the new v/conf services following implementation of the new IP infrastructure, though a target has yet to be set.
	You may also wish to know that DEFRA worked with IBM to produce a White Paper on methods and techniques for assessing and reducing the carbon footprint of office IT services entitled "Environmentally aware governance of the distributed IT infrastructure". This has now received two awards—a Gold Award from BCS link:
	http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=conWebDoc.16275
	and the European Green IT Summit Infrastructure Project of the Year award, see link:
	http://www.lansdown.com/green/awards.php
	at the same event IBM also won the award for European Green IT Supplier of the Year. So we are at the forefront of work taking forward the Green IT agenda.

Departmental Waste Disposal

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much waste his Department sent to landfill in each year since 1997.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 3 April 2008
	DEFRA was created in 2001, and we are unable to provide data on waste sent to landfill from the date as requested. However, the figures for the last five years are as follows.
	
		
			   Waste sent to landfill (tonnes) 
			 2006-07 1,560 
			 2005-06 1,619 
			 2004-05 1,890 
			 2003-04 2,129 
			 2002-03 1,180 
		
	
	Data are gathered from waste monitoring returns which are collated by each site, this data feeds into the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) reporting.

Environment Protection: Carbon Emissions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the expected changes in average annual temperature in the UK by 2050 using a Kyoto commitment as its benchmark  (a) if carbon emissions increase by 20 per cent.,  (b) if carbon emissions remain the same,  (c) if carbon emissions decrease by 20 per cent.,  (d) if carbon emissions decrease by 40 per cent.,  (e) if carbon emissions decrease by 60 per cent. and  (f) if carbon emissions decrease by 80 per cent.

Phil Woolas: Estimates by the Met Office Hadley Centre, suggest that the anticipated increased average annual temperature in the UK by 2050, relative to the 1990 temperature level, will be approximately  (a) 1.5°C if greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increase by 20 per cent.,  (b) 1.3°C if GHG emissions remain the same,  (c) 1.1°C if GHG emissions decrease by 20 per cent.,  (d) 1.0°C if GHG emissions decrease by 40 per cent.,  (e) 0.8°C if GHG emissions decrease by 60 per cent. and  (f) 0.6°C if GHG emissions decrease by 80 per cent.
	Actual increases in temperature will, however, depend on when emission reductions begin, with later start dates for reductions resulting in a correspondingly larger temperature rises. The above estimates for temperature increases are based on a set of emission reduction pathways beginning during the 2010 to 2030 period.

Ferries: Lymington

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the reasons are for plans for larger ferries between Lymington and Yarmouth and associated shore works not being subject to an environmental impact assessment; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what progress has been made in conducting an appropriate assessment of plans to increase the size of ferries between Yarmouth and Lymington together with associated shore works; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: It is for the relevant consenting authorities, in this case the Marine and Fisheries Agency and the planning authorities, to decide whether or not an environmental impact assessment is needed. In this case I understand that in view of the nature, scale and location of the proposed works the relevant authorities agreed that there are not likely to be any significant environmental effects and therefore the proposals do not trigger the requirement to undertake such an assessment.
	The criteria for undertaking an appropriate assessment under the Habitats Regulations provide that the consenting authorities must ascertain, before granting approval to the works, that the proposals will not have an adverse effect on the integrity of a European protected site. In this case the authorities agreed that an assessment should be undertaken which would also take account of the possible effects of operating the new ferries on the Solent and Southampton Water protected site. The developers engaged consultants who produced a report on 28 March to underpin that assessment. This is currently being considered by Natural England and the Marine and Fisheries Agency. In determining their respective consents the regulating authorities must make an assessment of the potential effects of the proposals on the site and on any mitigation necessary to protect the site from damage.

Fisheries: Subsidies

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information he has received from the European Commission on fuel subsidies to other member states' fishing fleets in the last 12 months.

Jonathan R Shaw: The European Commission does not routinely publish information on fuel subsidies in member states and I have received no information from the Commission in the last 12 months.

Flood Control

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will ensure that those local authorities which are in the lead of flood preventative planning committees have the  (a) resources and  (b) powers to carry out the recommendations of those committees.

Phil Woolas: My Department is not aware of any local authority bodies named as flood preventative planning committees.
	In terms of resources committed to the effective management of flood and coastal erosion risk more generally, spend across central and local government will increase from £600 million in 2007-08 to £650 million this year, £700 million in 2009-10 and £800 million in 2010-11.

Flood Control

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to establish a single, comprehensive source of accurate flood risk data in the UK.

Phil Woolas: As this is devolved issue; the Environment Agency has responsibility for England only.
	As part of their role in taking a strategic overview of flood risk, the Environment Agency is determining what data needs to be collected in relation to the different sources of flood risk.
	Decisions on the form and accessibility of the database will be taken in the light of this.

Flood Control: Coastal Areas

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the scope for using recycled materials to provide low cost material for coastal defence.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency employs a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment process to ensure its construction activities deliver the best for the environment. This is complemented by a procurement Sustainability Construction Risk Assessment which aims to ensure that sustainability issues are considered at the outset, in the project plan, the design and the specification. This ensures that where possible the materials used are recycled and/or locally sourced.

Flood Control: Coastal Areas

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the compatibility of Natural England and the Environment Agency's policies on Managed Retreat.

Phil Woolas: The Government's policy, as set out in their response to "Making Space for Water", is to adopt a more sustainable approach to flood risk management, moving to a wider portfolio of responses including greater use of rural land-use solutions. In that context, the recent inquiry into the 2007 flooding, chaired by Sir Michael Pitt, has concluded that DEFRA, the Environment Agency and Natural England should work with partners to establish a programme and framework to achieve greater working with natural processes.

Flood Control: West Sussex

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he had with the Environment Agency about the warning received on 7 March about an imminent collapse of the sea defences in Selsey.

Phil Woolas: On 7 March, the Medmerry shingle bank was in a good condition and there was no concern of an imminent collapse of any sea defence in Selsey.
	Storm conditions, combined with high spring tides and a coastal surge on 10 March caused the overtopping of the shingle bank during the lunchtime high tide. This resulted in the subsequent failure of a section of the defence. The Environment Agency has kept DEFRA updated on the general situation regarding the coastal surge and wave conditions.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Disease Control

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he has taken to prevent a recurrence of the circumstances that led to the foot and mouth outbreak at Pirbright.

Jonathan R Shaw: As soon as we became aware that Pirbright was a potential source of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak we put in place a number of additional safeguards at the site. We immediately asked the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Professor Spratt to carry out reviews of biosecurity, and subsequently accepted all of the recommendations in their reports. Since then, stringent new biosecurity conditions have been applied to work on the Pirbright site, providing several independent layers of safety and ensuring that the process is contained. For example, a comprehensive programme of preventive maintenance of the contained drainage system has been implemented and sections have been re-lined. These measures will ensure the highest level of biosecurity at Pirbright.
	In addition, a Safety Alert was issued last September to all similar laboratories, which has been followed up by a joint programme of inspections by HSE and DEFRA inspectors to these labs. The inspections of containment level (CL) 4 laboratories revealed no breaches of the legislation and no formal enforcement action was taken. This process has provided both the regulatory bodies and the operators of the laboratories with the assurance that their facilities are well managed. HSE will continue this series of Safety Alert inspections to consider CL3 facilities based on risk.
	The Government accepted all of the recommendations in Sir Bill Callaghan's independent review of the regulatory framework for the handling of animal pathogens, published in December 2007. These included that responsibility for the regulation of animal pathogens should transfer to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). DEFRA is working closely with the HSE and other departments, to implement all three phases of the work recommended by Sir Bill Callaghan. The formal legal transfer of the Specified Animal Pathogens Order enforcement and inspection responsibilities is well under way and is nearing completion.
	We have worked closely with the HSE and are satisfied that all necessary measures are in place to provide assurance that the risk of accidental release is as close to zero as possible.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the French government on its decision to extend its ban on Monsanto's MON810 maize.

Phil Woolas: We have not discussed this issue with the French Government. In line with European Union (EU) rules, the French decision to suspend the marketing of MON810 maize seed is now being considered by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Based on its advice, the European Commission should then make a proposal for an EU decision to either require France to rescind its action, or to approve and extend it across the EU. We will take a position on this in due course, taking account of the EFSA opinion and the view of our own independent Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to respond to the National Audit Office review UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Measurements and Reporting, published on 15 March.

Phil Woolas: The review "UK greenhouse gas emissions: measurement and reporting" produced by the National Audit Office was a briefing note prepared for the Environmental Audit Committee. Therefore, although DEFRA is carefully considering all the points that were raised during the review, we will not be formally responding to the review.

Heating: EC Law

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when officials from his Department next plan to meet European Commission officials to discuss the proposed labelling of heating systems in the Energy-using Products Directive; and what the timetable is for implementation of the Directive in the UK.

Joan Ruddock: My officials have no meetings currently planned, but a request has been made to the European Commission for a teleconference about this in the next couple of weeks. At that time, the European Commission will be asked whether they intend to stick to their original timetable for this implementing measure, which is for a vote at a regulatory committee in early 2009.

Heating: EC Law

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Energy Using Products Board will meet the UK controls industry following the Government's submission of a paper to the Commission on Lot 1 of the Energy-using Products Directive.

Joan Ruddock: Officials have met the controls industry several times while developing a position on Energy-Using Products Directive Lot 1 and would be happy to do so again if the industry needed to discuss this further at this stage. However, we have received no recent indication that the industry would like to meet.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department has spent on  (a) Warm Front and  (b) Warm Deal since 2000.

Phil Woolas: Warm Front is a devolved issue. In Scotland it is known as Warm Deal and is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive. For information on Warm Front spending I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 731W, to my hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Mr. Jones).

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on the Warm Front scheme in respect of  (a) affordability,  (b) properties already benefiting from prior insulation grants and  (c) regional procurement; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: We have received representations on the Warm Front Scheme in the form of letters and e-mails from hon. Members and the general public as well as parliamentary questions. These have been on a variety of issues, including affordability, prior insulation grants and regional procurement.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Eaga

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many firms involved in the Warm Front scheme are wholly or partly owned by Eaga.

Phil Woolas: A total of seven companies involved in the delivery of Warm Front are wholly or partly owned by the Eaga Group. These are listed in the following table:
	
		
			  Company  Role  Percentage ownership 
			 Eaga plc Scheme Management 100 
			 ATEC Ltd. Client Contact Centre and Surveys 100 
			 Iguana Ltd. Heating installations 100 
			 Eaga Social Housing Heating installations 100 
			 Milfold Group Ltd. Insulation installations 100 
			 WarmSure Ltd. Aftercare services 50 
			 Eaga Insurance Services Ltd. Insurance cover provision 100

Incinerators: Pollution

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether incinerators are assessed for their effects on public health; what a safe level of dioxins is considered to be; and whether his Department has records of incinerators that exceeded this level in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what regulations govern emissions from the incineration of waste in  (a) hospital,  (b) crematoria and  (c) waste incinerators.

Joan Ruddock: Waste incineration plants, including those in hospitals, are subject to the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (the "PPC Regulations") which were superseded from 6 April 2008 by the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2007. These regulations require each incinerator to have a permit to operate which is issued by the regulator only after detailed consideration of the environmental and health impacts of the operation. Each permit contains operating conditions which incorporate the requirements of the waste incineration directive (the WID), among which is a maximum emission limit to air for dioxins of 0.1 ng/m(3) expressed as International Toxic Equivalents (ITEQ). This limit is considered to provide adequate protection to the human health and environment.
	Waste incinerators are responsible for a small proportion only of emissions of a range of pollutants. An independent, peer reviewed, study published in 2004, 'Review of the Environmental and Health Effects of Waste Management', concluded that based on the evidence from studies so far:
	"risks to human health from incineration are small in comparison with other known risks".
	Of the 65 incinerators regulated by the Environment Agency, five were reported to have breached the 0.1 ng/m(3) emission limit during 2007. In four of these cases a formal warning was issued by the Environment Agency. In the last case the Environment Agency is considering what enforcement action is required.
	Crematoria are not waste incineration plants and so are not regulated in that way, although they are subject to controls upon emissions to air under other parts of the EPR regulations.

Livestock: Disease Control

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to engage with small livestock keepers, including hobby farmers, on disease control strategies.

Jonathan R Shaw: Livestock keepers are encouraged to take responsibility for developing their own contingency plans should they be affected by a disease outbreak. Guidance for livestock keepers, as well as our disease control strategies are publicly available on our website and information is available via the DEFRA Helpline.
	Small holders and hobby farmers are a target audience in DEFRA's 'Give Disease the Boot' marketing campaign, which is designed to increase awareness of animal diseases and the actions that livestock keepers need to take to help reduce the incidence and spread of disease. In addition, through active engagement with partners in industry we disseminate messages to the members they represent.

Milk: Quotas

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in his Department's discussions with the European Commission on the abolition of milk quotas.

Jonathan R Shaw: Milk quotas will be abolished in 2015. Discussions with the European Commission about how best to ensure the "soft-landing" for the dairy sector ahead of the abolition of milk quotas are ongoing. We expect the Commission to publish their draft proposals at the end of May.

Milk: Quotas

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to encourage greater milk production in the UK in order to fulfil new quota allocations.

Jonathan R Shaw: Milk quotas are a limit on production; a ceiling not a target. The Government have been pressing for their removal for some time as they encourage producers to produce to a quota rather than to meet market demand. In addition, they are an unnecessary cost and regulatory burden. We look forward to their abolition in 2015. Consequently, we have no plans to encourage greater milk production to fulfil the new quota ceilings. we believe producers should produce for the market.

Milk: Quotas

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of milk consumed in England was produced in England in the last 12 months; and whether he plans to increase levels of self-sufficiency.

Jonathan R Shaw: The UK is largely self-sufficient in milk. Over 95 per cent. of the milk consumed in the UK is produced in the UK. Organic milk has occasionally been imported when demand outstripped supply and it made economic sense for companies to do so. In addition, a small amount of UHT milk is imported from abroad. We have no plans to increase levels of self-sufficiency.

Nature Conservation: Wildlife

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many priority species have been  (a) added and  (b) removed from the UK Biodiversity Action Plan list in each year since the list was first issued;
	(2)  what criteria were used in determining priority species to be added to the UK Biodiversity Action Plan list;
	(3)  how often the UK Biodiversity Action Plan list of priority species is reviewed.

Joan Ruddock: In 1995, the original UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) included a total of 427 priority species. In 1997-98, 20 of these species were removed and a further 169 were added, giving a total of 576. This was increased to 577 in 2005, due to recognition of two distinct sub-species of pipistrelle bat. On 28 August 2007, I announced a new UK list of priority species and habitats which contained 1,149 species. Of the former UK BAP species, 123 were removed while 695 species were added, partially because of new declines but primarily because our knowledge and understanding had increased. This was the first full review of the UK BAP list. The review criteria were:
	1. International threat.
	2. International importance of the UK population.
	3. Marked decline in the UK.
	4. Other important factor(s) such as very restricted geographic range or extreme threat.

Nature Conservation: Wildlife

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been allocated to UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species in each year since the action plan list was first issued.

Joan Ruddock: This information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, in 2007 consultants estimated a total UK Biodiversity Action Plan related expenditure of £388 million, of which £318 million related to Habitat Action Plans and £70 million to Species Action Plans. Many widespread species require the delivery of habitat management at the landscape scale, so in practice much of the spend on Habitat Action Plans also benefits species.

Nature Conservation: Wildlife

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what actions accompany the designation of a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

Joan Ruddock: The UK list of priority species provides a focus for conservation action over the next decade and will be used to inform statutory lists under legislation in each of the countries of the UK. The list has been published with an indication of the most important types of action necessary for the conservation of each species. The UK Biodiversity Partnership is adopting the ecosystem approach and, in addition to legal protection and management for single species and sites, these actions include habitat expansion and restoration, wider action on cross-cutting issues such as climate change, and research. Biodiversity conservation is a devolved matter, and implementation is being taken forward under biodiversity and environment strategies in each of the four countries of the UK.

Nature Reserves: West Sussex

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the effect of the Environment Agency's Managed Realignment proposals on the recently acquired RSPB Nature Reserve behind the Medmerry frontage.

Joan Ruddock: The Environment Agency is currently developing the Pagham to East Head Coastal Defence Strategy.
	A strategic environmental assessment of the options is currently being completed and will be published with the draft and made available for public consultation. This will assess the impacts of many options, including managed realignment on the RSPB Nature Reserve and neighbouring land.
	The Environment Agency will continue to discuss these potential options with the RSPB and other landowners in developing the strategy.

Nature Reserves: West Sussex

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the effect of the Managed Retreat losses under options  (a) one and  (b) two of the Environment Agency's proposals (i) in the Chichester Harbour area and (ii) at Selsey.

Joan Ruddock: The Environment Agency has not yet published any proposals as part of the Pagham to East Head Coastal Defence Strategy. The strategy is currently being drafted. It will make an assessment of the impacts of all options, including any losses as a result of managed realignment, in accordance with DEFRA guidance.

Nature Reserves: West Sussex

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to relocate the lost grazing marsh in Medmerry.

Joan Ruddock: There are currently no plans to relocate any habitat as the Environment Agency has not yet concluded its investigations as part of the Pagham to East Head Coastal Defence Strategy.
	The grazing marsh behind the Medmerry sea defences forms part of the Bracklesham Bay Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The Environment Agency is working closely with Natural England and others to develop a Regional Habitat Creation Programme which will consider how best to offset potential habitat losses across the south east, such as that which could occur at Medmerry.

Nature Reserves: West Sussex

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether Selsey's £1 billion asset value was taken into consideration when calculating the Cost Benefit Analysis on the frontage at Medmerry.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency is currently drafting a Pagham to East Head Coastal Defence Strategy. The cost benefit analysis for the Medmerry frontage does take into account the full asset value for Selsey and has been calculated in accordance with DEFRA guidelines.

Nature Reserves: West Sussex

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the area of grazing marsh that will be lost to the sea under options  (a) 1 and  (b) 2 of the Environment Agency's Managed Retreat proposals.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency has not yet published any proposals as part of the Pagham to East Head Coastal Defence Strategy. Options one and two were indicative outlines highlighted within the initial consultation document, which was published in November 2006.
	The draft strategy is currently being prepared and a number of different options are being investigated, including realignment. The potential impacts of these options on the coastal hinterland, including the area of grazing marsh, will be fully assessed in the strategy.

Oilseed Rape: Genetically Modified Organisms

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on which sites genetically modified oil seed rape has been grown for trial purposes; which of these sites has subsequently been cultivated with conventional and organic oil seed rape crops; and in which years such conventional and organic crops were cultivated in each case.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA's website gives information on the sites for which consent was given to undertake trials of GM oilseed rape as part of the 1999-2003 farm-scale evaluations of herbicide tolerant GM crops.
	It has been a general rule that a site used for GM oilseed rape trials would not subsequently be used to grow non-GM rape for a period of at least two years. Beyond that we do not have details of the subsequent cropping history of former GM sites.

Oilseed Rape: Genetically Modified Organisms

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department is carrying out into genetically modified oil seed rape volunteer plants at sites previously used for trials.

Phil Woolas: We have funded two research projects that are relevant to this issue. One is on the occurrence of GM oilseed rape volunteers at sites used for the Farm Scale Evaluation trials. The other is on the prediction, sampling and management of GM volunteer impurities in conventional oilseed rape crops, where the latter are grown on land previously sown with a GM variety. Both of these projects have been completed and reports on them will be published as soon as possible.

Organic Food

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support is available from his Department for farmers who wish to switch to organic food production.

Jonathan R Shaw: We want to encourage the expansion of organic food production and have just re-launched the Organic Conversion Information Service (OCIS), which provides free organic conversion advice to help farmers and land managers in England consider the practical implications of converting their businesses to organic production.
	Financial support is available for organic farmers under the organic entry level stewardship (OELS) section of the environmental stewardship scheme. Aid under the OELS is worth £60 per hectare per year in recognition of the inherent environmental benefits delivered through farming organically. Top-up payments for the conversion of improved land and top fruit orchards are also available under OELS.
	Both OCIS and OELS are managed by Natural England on behalf of DEFRA. There are equivalent arrangements in other UK territories.
	More details are available on the DEFRA and the Natural England websites.

Pigs

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many pig farmers there are in England; and how many there were in May 2005.

Jonathan R Shaw: Data on the number of pig farmers and registered holdings in England which specialise in pig production are collected via the annual June Agricultural Survey. The following figures relate to the position on these holdings at June in each year.
	Figures shown are for holdings where pigs are the predominant activity.
	
		
			  Number 
			   2005  2007 
			 Total farmers, partners, directors including spouses if working on the holding 3,349 3,418 
			 Total labour force (including the above) 5,296 5,286 
			 Total holdings where pigs are the predominant activity 2,409 2,453 
			  Source: June Agricultural Survey

Plastic Bags

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the  (a) Office of Fair Trading and  (b) Competition Commission on co-operation between supermarkets to reduce consumption of single-use plastic bags.

Joan Ruddock: My right hon. Friend has had no such discussions.

Refrigerators: Waste Disposal

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the release of greenhouse gases from the disposal of fridges through fragmentisers in the latest period for which figures are available.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 17 March 2008
	Fridges form a relatively small proportion of the material handled by fragmentisers and the associated emissions of green house gases are not routinely measured or recorded. However, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive requires that all greenhouse gases with a global warming potential above 15 must be extracted before items are sent through a fragmentiser.
	Any fragmentiser handling separately collected waste electrical and electronic equipment—including fridges—must be an approved authorised treatment facility and deal with WEEE in accordance with the guidance published by the environment agencies on best available treatment, recovery and recycling techniques.

Renewable Energy: Transport

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice he has received from his Departmental chief scientific adviser on the review of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA's chief scientific adviser provides advice to Ministers on all aspects of biofuels policy and wider climate change strategy.
	The Review of the Indirect Impacts of Biofuels was commissioned by the Department for Transport, and will be led by the Renewable Fuels Agency, under Professor Ed Gallagher. The Gallagher Review is critical to assessing the social and environmental sustainability of biofuels, and DEFRA's chief scientific adviser, along with other Government chief scientific advisers, will peer review the findings of the review prior to its publication.

Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1278W, on seas and oceans: environmental protection, if he will list those sites not mentioned in the answer, but included in the figure of 180 sites reported in the Government's response to the Science and Technology Committee's report, Investigating the Oceans 2006-07, HC470; and what the reasons are for each site's protection.

Jonathan R Shaw: As mentioned in the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 27 March 2008,  Official Report, column 354W, the information provided to the Science and Technology Committee, of around 180 marine protected areas in UK inshore waters (within 12 nautical miles), differs from the current figure of 151 marine protected areas as a result of ambiguity in the definition of what constitutes a 'marine' site.
	Work was completed by the Joint Nature Conservation Council (JNCC) in October 2007 to refine inter-agency definitions of 'special areas of conservation with marine components' and 'special protection areas with marine components' in agreement with the Marine Natura Project Group. Lists of these sites and their associated interest features were then produced.
	The JNCC website provides the names of the sites, and describes the qualifying species and marine habitats present.

Smallholdings

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Local Government Association on the future of local authority small holdings following the recent decision of Staffordshire county council to retain its stock.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Government have not recently had any specific discussions with the Local Government Association about the future of county farms, although they have regular discussions with interested stakeholders on this subject. We would always urge local authorities to think carefully when making decisions about the future of their smallholding estates. Therefore I am very pleased that as a result of its consultation exercise, Staffordshire county council has decided to retain a smallholding estate.

Sustainable Development: Thames Gateway

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote the development of sustainable drainage systems within new and existing developments in the Thames Gateway growth area; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: Planning Policy Statement 25 on Development and Flood Risk (PPS25) advocates that regional planning bodies and local authorities incorporate policies for furthering the use of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) in their regional spatial strategies and development plan documents. They should also ensure that their policies and decisions on applications complement building regulations on sustainable rainwater drainage. This gives priority to the use of infiltration drainage systems over watercourses and then sewers. PPS25 also encourages local authorities to promote the use of SUDs by developers when they design their developments.
	However, the principal obstacle to the increased take-up of SUDS is the lack of clarity over where responsibility for the ownership and long-term maintenance and renewal of SUDS infrastructure should lie. These issues are currently being addressed through a specific DEFRA work stream and have been the subject of informal consultation with the National SUDS Working Group. DEFRA is consulting on options for the responsibility for ownership and maintenance of SUDS as part of the current consultation on Improving Surface Water Drainage. This consultation was launched alongside the Government's Water Strategy in February 2007 and will close on 30 April 2008.

Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 1180-1W, on waste management: fees and charges, what powers local authorities have to require payment for the provision of bin bags; and what steps local authorities may take in instances of non-payment;
	(2)  whether residents may utilise bin bags from other sources without incurring the local authority charge in areas where local authorities charge for the provision of bin bags as waste receptacles.

Joan Ruddock: As I stated in my reply of 30 October 2007, the Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 46, allows waste collection authorities to require occupiers to place waste for collection in receptacles of a kind and number specified. Bin bags are considered a 'receptacle' under the Act. Waste collection authorities may:
	(i) provide the receptacles free of charge;
	(ii) provide the receptacles and ask the occupier to pay for them;
	(iii) require the occupier to provide the receptacles himself if he does not agree to pay for them within a specified period; or
	(iv) require the occupier to provide the receptacles himself from the outset.

Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 1180-1W, on Waste Management: Fees and Charges, what obligation there is upon the relevant waste collection authority to collect domestic waste put out in receptacles other than those provided by the local authority in those areas where local authorities make a charge for the provision of waste receptacles.

Joan Ruddock: Under section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities (LAs) have a general duty to collect household waste. Section 46 of that Act gives LAs powers to determine arrangements for collection, such as the size, number and placing of receptacles for collection. As DEFRA advised in a letter of August 2005 to LAs, where an authority uses its section 46 powers to prescribe such arrangements and a resident does not comply with those requirements, an LA has no further duty to collect their waste, other than the duty to keep relevant land clear of litter and refuse.

Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities have  (a) held discussions with and  (b) expressed an interest to his Department on levying new charges for the collection of household waste.

Joan Ruddock: My Department is currently considering the appropriate process for waste collection authorities to express an interest in running a pilot waste incentive scheme. Timings for this process will be subject to parliamentary progress on the Climate Change Bill. In the meantime, we continue to encourage and welcome authorities making inquiries on the implications of the legislation.
	As is to be expected with any policy development, my officials and I have had a range of meetings with a variety of stakeholders on the powers provided in the Climate Change Bill for up to five local authorities to pilot waste incentive schemes.

Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether joint waste authorities will have powers to impose new charges for the collection of household rubbish.

Joan Ruddock: Powers provided in the Climate Change Bill allow up to five local authorities to pilot incentives to encourage household waste minimisation and recycling.
	A joint waste authority (JWA) would be able to put forward a proposal to pilot a waste incentive scheme in its area if it had responsibility for waste collection. A JWA would only be set up following a unanimous request from member local authorities and a local public consultation. A consultation on draft regulations and draft guidance regarding proposals for JWAs was published on 17 March 2008.

Waste Management: Domestic Wastes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which waste collection authorities have introduced alternate weekly collections and subsequently reinstated weekly collections of residual household rubbish.

Joan Ruddock: The following table represents our best understanding of which waste collection authorities, having introduced alternate weekly collections, have subsequently reinstated weekly collections of residual household rubbish. However, due to the often rapid changes in this area, it is unlikely to be completely up to date.
	
		
			  Local authorities that have reverted back to weekly collections 
			  Region  Local authority  Comment 
			 North-west Blackburn with Darwen  
			 North-west Bolton MBC From August 2007 
			 North-west Bury MBC Rolled out to 14,000 households 
			 Eastern Chelmsford  
			 Eastern East Cambridgeshire Trial withdrawn autumn 2007 
			 Yorkshire and Humber Leeds city Trial in 1994 on two collection rounds. Withdrawn after six months 
			 London London borough of Sutton  
			 West midlands Nuneaton and Bedworth Scheme pulled after 1 month due to delay in awarding dry recycling contract 
			 South-west Plymouth  
			 South-east Southampton city Service rolled out to 26,000 households (2 collection rounds) - reverted back in 2004

Waste Management: Prisons

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what requirements there are on waste collection authorities to provide free waste collection services to prisons.

Joan Ruddock: There is no requirement on waste collection authorities to provide free waste collection services to prisons.
	Waste from all penal institutions falls under paragraph 16 of schedule 2 of the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992, and it is therefore classified as a type of household waste for which a charge for collection may be made.

Water Companies: Fines

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the receipts from fines issued to water companies by Ofwat are distributed.

Phil Woolas: Ofwat has powers to impose financial penalties on water and sewerage companies. These are set out in the Water Industry Act 1991, as amended by the Water Act 2003. The statutory provisions Ofwat operates under when considering financial penalties state that the money received from the company's fine must be paid to the Consolidated Fund operated by HM Treasury. This money is then spent on public services.

World War II: Medals

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to enable the Women's Land Army Award to be given posthumously.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Women's Land Army and Timber Corps Veterans Badge will be awarded to those members who were alive on the date the announcement was made (6 December 2007). They may also be awarded to the spouses and descendants of those who died on or after that date.

World War II: Medals

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the reasons are for the length of time taken to provide Land Army badges to people who have applied for them through hon. Members.

Jonathan R Shaw: There has been a high volume of interest in the Women's Land Army badge and all applications will be processed as quickly as possible.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many and what percentage of staff in the Government Equalities Office have been making additional voluntary contributions to their pension since the Office's inception.

Barbara Follett: Since the formal establishment of the Government Equalities Office on 12 October 2007 one member of its staff (1.6 per cent. of the total employed by the Department) has made additional voluntary pension contributions.

Ipsos MORI

Eric Pickles: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what payments her Department has made to Ipsos MORI since its establishment; and for what purposes.

Barbara Follett: No payments have been made to Ipsos MORI by my Department, the Government Equalities Office.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the value was of each contract awarded to Rackspace by the Government Equalities Office since its establishment.

Barbara Follett: Since its establishment, the Government Equalities Office has not awarded any contracts to Rackspace for hosting its IT server functions and applications.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

China: Tibet

David Howarth: To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment the Law Officers have made of whether the actions taken by the People's Republic of China in relation to the self-determination movement in Tibet comply with international law.

Vera Baird: In accordance with the long-standing convention adhered to by successive governments neither the fact that the law officers have been consulted nor the substance of any advice given is normally disclosed outside of Government.

Crown Prosecution Service: Manpower

David Howarth: To ask the Solicitor-General what the average length of service of chief inspectors of the Crown Prosecution Service has been since the inception of the post.

Vera Baird: There has been only one Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service since the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate Act came into force on 1 October 2000.

Crown Prosecution Service: Manpower

David Howarth: To ask the Solicitor-General how many times the contract of the Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service has been extended without a competitive process since the inception of the post.

Vera Baird: The Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service was originally appointed on 1 October 2000 and his appointment expired on 21 March 2004. There then followed a series of short extensions of his appointment during a period when the Government's policy on criminal justice system inspection was under review and there was the prospect of (i) a merger between HMCPS Inspectorate and the new Inspectorate for the Unified Court Administration; and then (ii) a merger of all five criminal justice system Inspectorates. In the event, the then Police and Criminal Justice Bill was amended so the planned merger of all five Inspectorates did not proceed. In April 2007, the Chief Inspector's appointment was extended by one year. This appointment has recently been extended again by a further two years.

Crown Prosecution Service: Standards

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Solicitor-General how many  (a) categories and  (b) aspects of the South London Crown Prosecution Service's performance (i) improved and (ii) deteriorated between 2005 and 2007.

Vera Baird: The HM CPS Inspectorate's Overall Performance Assessment (OPA) reports are based on 13 aspects of performance. There is no assessment based on categories.
	Of the 13 aspects assessed by HM CPS Inspectorate in 2007 for CPS London, South Sector, one aspect had improved since 2005, and four aspects declined. The remaining eight aspects remained stable, although the 'direction of travel' in one of these ('Delivering Change') was one of significant improvement.

Crown Prosecution Service: Standards

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Solicitor-General how many  (a) categories and  (b) aspects of the South London Crown Prosecution Service's performance were assessed as good in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2007.

Vera Baird: The HM CPS Inspectorate's overall performance assessment (OPA) reports are based on 13 aspects of performance. There is no assessment based on categories.
	Of the 13 aspects assessed by HM CPS Inspectorate in 2005 for CPS London, South Sector, three aspects were rated as good. In 2007, there were no aspects rated as good.

Crown Prosecution Service: Standards

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Solicitor-General what the  (a) Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and  (b) South London CPS's rate of discharged committals was in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2007; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: A discharge is recorded in magistrates courts where a case is listed for committal to the Crown court for trial but the committal does not go ahead, and the defendant is discharged under section 6(1) of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980.
	The number of discharged committals recorded in each of the last three years is shown in the table for the CPS nationally and for CPS London, South Sector. In addition to the total number, the rate of discharged committals is also shown as a percentage against all other outcome types. For example, during 2006-07, 2,325 defendant cases nationally resulted in a discharge, which represented 0.2 per cent. of completed cases.
	
		
			   CPS Overall Discharged Committals  Percentage  CPS London South Sector Discharged Committals  Percentage 
			 2004-05 3,444 0.3 412 0.6 
			 2005-06 2,420 0.2 344 0.5 
			 2006-07 2,325 0.2 293 0.5

OLYMPICS

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether personal data for which her Office is responsible is  (a) stored and  (b) processed overseas; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson) on 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 522W.

Olympic Delivery Authority: Disclosure of Information

Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what guidance she has provided to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) on providing access for the public to its  (a) register of interests and  (b) register of gifts and hospitality; how she monitors the ODA's procedures for complying with (i) that guidance and (ii) the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in publishing such information; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is subject to a Management Statement and Financial Memorandum ("The Management Statement"), approved by myself and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, which sets out the rules and guidelines relevant to the exercise of the ODA's functions, duties and powers.
	The Management Statement provides that the Chairman must ensure that a Code of Practice for Members of the ODA is in place based on the Cabinet Office's model "Guidance on Codes of Practice for Board Members of Public Bodies." The Code commits the Chairman and other Board Members to "The Seven Principles of Public Life" and includes a requirement for a comprehensive and publicly available register of Board Members' interests.
	The Management Statement also provides that ODA must operate at all times with the highest ethical standards and practices in accordance with the requirements set out in the ODA's Employee Handbook, and its Code of Conduct and Business Ethics. The Code provides guidance on a wide range of issues including gifts and hospitality.
	Compliance monitoring is primarily a matter for ODA's internal audit. However, the Department remains involved in this process, through its attendance at ODA Audit Committee meetings.
	In accordance with its Management Statement and its commitment to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the ODA has made its gifts and hospitality register and register of Board Members' interests publicly available. The ODA has now increased accessibility by making these available on its website. Copies are also available from the House Library.

Olympic Games 2012

Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics with reference to the answer given to Lord Holme of Cheltenham in the House of Lords on 14 March 2007,  Official Report [Lords], columns 135-36WA, on Olympic Games 2012: construction, what progress has been made in ensuring there is a social and economic legacy as well as a physical legacy for local people following the 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: Specific initiatives, such as the London Employment and Skills Taskforce (LEST) Action Plan and London Business Network, have been developed to ensure local people and businesses are able to benefit from the opportunities being presented by the Olympics. For example, 77 local businesses have already been awarded contracts to supply the Olympic Delivery Authority. As legacy planning develops, we will continue to work with private and public sector delivery agencies to ensure that other opportunities are identified to deliver our commitment to transform the heart of East London.
	In addition, the development of the Legacy Masterplan Framework (LMF) will set the context for the transformation of the Olympic Park to its post-Games uses, providing world-class sporting facilities set within a new 110 hectare park, along with the creation of a new urban district, linked with its surroundings, which will provide over 9,000 new homes, 12,000 jobs and other social facilities for local people. The London Development Agency and the newly appointed masterplanning team have started the process to develop the LMF and will engage closely with local people and businesses to ensure the masterplan reflects their ideas.

Olympic Games 2012

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether there will be any ministerial involvement in the London Olympic Torch Relay.

Tessa Jowell: I greeted the Beijing Organising Committee on the evening of 5 April, when they brought the flame into the UK. In addition, both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and I attended the relay on 6 April, at No. 10 with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, and then later at the Southbank Centre.

Olympic Games 2012: Broadcasting

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assessment she has made of the potential financial benefits to the London Development Agency of legacy use of the Olympics international broadcast centre/media and press centre.

Tessa Jowell: As the land owner and the Legacy Client for the Olympic Park, the London Development Agency is eligible for—but not guaranteed—an appropriate financial return, taking account of usual overage, for its land input to the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre (IBC/MPC). The overage is subject to a number of conditions based on financial market conditions and rental/sales projections and will be linked to the profitability of the regeneration scheme. An independent overage valuation is being undertaken currently with findings of this valuation yet to be established. Overage returns, in accordance with the established MOU between the Government and the Mayor of London, will be directed to both the LDA and to the benefit of Lottery good causes.
	The receipt of overage will give the LDA a financial interest in maximising the legacy value of the IBC/MPC, both in commercial and amenity terms, and will contribute to ensuring a vibrant and productive future for the venue both in its own right and in the context of the wider Park.

Olympic Games 2012: Training

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for the Olympics pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Henley of 10 December 2007,  Official Report, column 47W, on Olympic Games 2012: training, how many of the level one training places were for courses in construction; and how many of those qualifying from those courses have been offered jobs on projects involved with construction work for the Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: Pursuant to my answer of 10 December 2007,  Official Report, column 47W to the hon. Member for Henley a further 666 skills training places have been offered by the London Development Agency, bringing the total for the period January to December 2007 to 1,835.
	Improvements to the LDA's monitoring systems since April 2007 have allowed it to track the outcomes for individuals receiving this training from that date. For the period April to December 2007, 1,083 skills training courses were delivered to 956 individuals. Of these, all were unemployed at the time of training, 286 subsequently obtained employment, of which 80 have been offered jobs on the Olympic site.
	Provisional figures indicate that approximately three quarters of the 1,083 courses have been construction related. 12 of these were level 2. The remaining courses have provided training for security and hospitality industries alongside site-based office roles.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Demonstrations

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department has commissioned research through  (a) focus groups and  (b) other market research on the opinions of people in Northern Ireland on the resolution of the parades disputes.

Paul Goggins: The Department has not commissioned any such research.

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether confidential or personal information has been compromised through the loss of property from his Department since 1997.

Shaun Woodward: Except in exceptional cases, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on breaches of security. However, following the publication of the Data Handling Procedures in Government: Interim Progress Report on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 98WS, all Departments will cover information assurance issues in their annual reports.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of his Department's website.

Shaun Woodward: The most recent redesign and implementation of the Northern Ireland Office website was carried out in March 2007 and cost £4,185.94.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since July 2007.

Paul Goggins: As there have been no Northern Ireland Acts of Parliament since July 2007, no criminal offences have been created.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since May 1997.

Paul Goggins: Acts of Parliament sponsored by my Department since May 1997 have repealed the following offences.
	
		
			  Repealing Act  Offence  Statutory reference of offence 
			 Terrorism (Northern Ireland) Act 2006 Wilfully obstructing HM Forces or constable exercising power under this section Section 87 of Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Failure to stop when required under this section; refusing to answer question; failure to answer to best of knowledge and ability question under this section Section 89 of Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Interfering with works executed re section 91 or 92; interfering with any apparatus etc. used under those powers Section 93 of Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Interfering with road closure works etc.; executing certain bypass works; possessing etc. materials for executing bypass works; occupant knowingly permitting above on his land Section 94 of Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Failure to stop vehicle when required under part VII Section 95 of Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Failure to comply with regulations made by Secretary of State to preserve peace or maintain order Section 96 of Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Collecting, recording, publishing, communicating or eliciting information about a person, which is likely to be of use to terrorists; possessing document or record with such information Section 103 of Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Contravening restraint order Paragraph 37, schedule 4 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Obstructing search under this paragraph Paragraph 19, schedule 5 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Contravening order made under this paragraph Paragraph 20, schedule 5 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Failure to comply with requirement under this schedule; wilfully obstructing search of premises hereunder Paragraph 10, schedule 10 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Failure to stop when required under paragraph 6 of this schedule Paragraph 11, schedule 10 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Obtaining (increased) compensation by deception; knowingly making false or misleading statement; making statement he does not believe to be true; knowingly failing to disclose material fact Paragraph 12, schedule 12 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Providing or offering to provide security services for reward without licence Paragraph 2, schedule 13 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Publishing or causing to be published an advertisement for the provision of security services by someone who does not hold a licence Paragraph 3, schedule 13 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Paying money to someone re security services when they do not hold a licence Paragraph 4, schedule 13 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Making false or misleading statement when applying for a security licence Paragraph 6, schedule 13 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Failure to comply with paragraph 13 or 14 of this schedule Paragraph 15, schedule 13 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Failure to comply with requirement to produce records about person employed as security guard Paragraph 16, schedule 13 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Keeping record of person employed as security guard which is false or misleading Paragraph 17, schedule 13 to Terrorism Act 2000 
			  Failure to surrender to custody while on bail for a scheduled offence Paragraph 1, schedule 2 to Justice (NI) Act 2004 
			
			 Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004 Failure of person on bail to present himself to court Section 26(d) of Prison Act (NI) 1953 
			
			 Northern Ireland Act 1998 Discrimination by public authority on grounds of religion or political opinion Section 19 of Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 
			  Public authority requiring person to take oath / make declaration on appointment (etc.) Section 21 of Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 
			
			 Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1998 Escaping or failing to return as required to detention under interim custody order or detention order; rescuing, assisting, harbouring such escaper etc. Paragraph 13, schedule 3 to Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996 
			
			 Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 Unlawful possession of arms or ammunition; assuming dress or name of constable. Section 25 of Constabulary (Ireland) Act 1836 
			  Obtaining pension by fraud. Section 9 of Constabulary and Police (Ireland) Act 1883 
			  Pretending to be member of RUC Section 20 of Criminal Justice Act (NI) 1953 
			  Assault on, or obstruction of, a constable Section 7 of Criminal Justice (Misc. Provisions) Act (NI) 1968 
			  Disclosure of information contravening this article Article 18 of Police (NI) Order 1987 
			  Disclosure of information contravening this paragraph. Paragraph 15, schedule 1 to Police (NI) Order 1987 
			  Disclosure of information contravening this article Article 28 of Police (Am)(NI) Order 1995 
			
			 Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 Organising a procession (etc.) where requirements not satisfied Article 3 of Public Order (NI) Order 1987 
			  Knowingly taking part in public procession as member of unregistered (etc.) band Article 6 of Public Order (NI) Order 1987 
			  Failure to comply with constable's requirement to surrender alcohol/state name and address Article 6A of Public Order (NI) Order 1987 
			  Endeavouring to break up lawful public procession Article 7(1) of Public Order (NI) Order 1987

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many day's sick leave were taken on average by staff in his Department in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The following table shows the number of days lost due to sick absence, per staff year in each of the last five years within the Northern Ireland Office. These figures have been taken from information published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.
	
		
			   Number of days lost due to sick absence 
			 2002-03 13.7 
			 2003-04 14.0 
			 2004-05 12.6 
			 2005-06 11.2 
			 2006-07 11.8

District Policing Partnerships

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the district policing partnerships.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Policing Board has a statutory requirement to assess the effectiveness of district policing partnerships in performing their statutory duties. To fulfil this requirement the Board undertakes an annual performance assessment of each DPP against a performance management framework. The framework requires a number of key performance indicator targets to be met in relation to the DPP statutory duties.
	The Policing Board also commissions the Central Survey Unit in the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) to conduct the Policing Board module in its Omnibus Survey twice a year and the biennial District Policing Partnership (DPP) Public Consultation Survey. These surveys meet the Policing Board's statutory obligations under the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 to "assess the level of public satisfaction with the performance of the police and district policing partnerships".
	The Policing Board makes its annual assessment of the effectiveness of district policing partnerships (DPPs), using a range of performance indicators and targets.
	Information reported to the Board on the performance of DPPs during 2006-07 confirms that overall DPPs are fulfilling their statutory responsibilities:
	The targets that assess the performance of DPPs in identifying local policing priorities for input to the local Policing Plan and NI Policing Plan were achieved by 23 of the 26 DPPs;
	The targets that assess the performance of DPPs in monitoring police performance were achieved by all but one DPP;
	The targets that assess the performance of DPPs in engaging with the community to gain the co-operation of the public with the police in preventing crime were achieved by 23 of the 26 DPPs;
	The targets measuring the performance of DPPs in acting as a forum for discussion on policing were achieved by 24 of the 26 DPPs.
	The targets that assess the effectiveness of DPPs in consulting with the public were taken from the 2006 NISRA DPP Public Consultation Survey and the results were assessed against baseline results from the same survey carried out in 2004. Results were compared for 24 DPPs and the four Belfast sub-group areas. Dungannon and South Tyrone did not establish a DPP until December 2004 and no baseline was available for the 2006-07 assessment.
	21 DPPs/Belfast sub-groups increased the survey respondents who had heard of the DPP;
	Six DPPs/Belfast sub-groups increased the percentage of survey respondents who think that the DPP does a good job;
	15 DPPs/Belfast sub-groups achieved the target to increase the percentage of survey respondents who are confident that the DPP is addressing local policing problems;
	one Belfast sub-group showed an increase in the percentage of NISRA survey respondents who had heard of DPPs and are prepared to contact their DPP.
	It is the Policing Board's view that DPPs have made an important contribution to increased confidence in policing. Through working in partnership with the police to prevent crime DPPs have also contributed to a 15 per cent. reduction in recorded crime in the last five years.

Hillsborough Castle: Official Hospitality

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost was of receptions held at Hillsborough Castle in each of the last five years, broken down by event.

Shaun Woodward: The costs of receptions held at Hillsborough Castle are only available for the last three financial years and are as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 126,073.39 
			 2006-07 237,295.10 
			 2007-08 211,436.95 
		
	
	These figures cover a large number of events and receptions in line with my wish, and that of my predecessors, to make Hillsborough Castle as accessible as possible to a cross section of the community. These include people from the emergency services, voluntary groups, charities and local community groups. The largest of these events is the annual garden party, attended by senior members of the royal family.

Homosexuality

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prosecutions have been brought under homophobic hatred legislation in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 allows for enhanced sentencing where a crime is hate motivated.
	The following table lists the number of cases considered by the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland to have been aggravated by hostility on the basis of sexual orientation.
	
		
			   Number of de fendants 
			   2006  2007 
			 Summary prosecution 42 24 
			 Indictable prosecution 14 13 
			 Total 56 37 
			  Note:  2007 data are provisional and may be subject to change at a later date.

Inquiries

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many documents have been passed by  (a) Republican and  (b) Loyalist paramilitary organisations to official inquiries into their respective operations in the last 28 years.

Paul Goggins: An exercise of this nature, involving a detailed search of records over a 28-year period, would require the allocation of significant and disproportionate resources.

Inquiries

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many documents have been passed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to official inquiries into the operations of  (a) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and  (b) the PSNI, since the inception of the PSNI.

Paul Goggins: The Chief Constable has provided the following answer:
	"The following table sets out details of the number of documents provided to public inquiries by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. I am unable to provide information in relation to the Saville Inquiry as to do so would incur disproportionate costs. I am also unable to provide figures which differentiate between Royal Ulster Constabulary and PSNI documents as this could be done only at a disproportionate cost."
	
		
			  Public inquiry  Number of documents 
			 Billy Wright 24,361 
			 Rosemary Nelson 9,774 
			 Robert Hamill 606

Insolvency

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals were insolvent in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: Following the restoration of devolution on 8 May 2007, responsibility for insolvency and bankruptcy in Northern Ireland has been a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland (DETI). The information is not maintained by DETI in the form requested, but statistics are available on the number of individuals adjudicated bankrupt and the number of individual voluntary arrangements (IVA) that have been made under the insolvency legislation. These are set out in the following table and cover those of the last five financial years that fell during direct rule.
	
		
			  Financial year  Individuals adjudicated bankrupt in Northern Ireland  Number of IV As registered with DETI 
			 2006-07 1,008 736 
			 2005-06 892 668 
			 2004-05 685 479 
			 2003-04 582 360

JP Morgan

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department paid to JP Morgan in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each payment was.

Shaun Woodward: My Department (excluding its agencies and Executive NDPBs) has not made any payments to JP Morgan in the period specified.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the value was of each contract awarded by his Department and its predecessors to Karian and Box since 1997.

Shaun Woodward: My Department (excluding its agencies and Executive NDPBs) has not awarded any contracts to Karian and Box in the period specified.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his most recent estimate is of the costs of training a police constable in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI); and what the starting salary is for a police constable in the PSNI.

Paul Goggins: I am advised that the estimated cost of training a police constable in the Police Service of Northern Ireland, taking account of the cost of the student officer's gross salary, is £33,564.
	The starting salary of a Constable (Student Officer) in the Police Service of Northern Ireland is £21,534, rising to £24,039 on attestation.

Police Service of Northern Ireland: Vehicles

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Police Service of Northern Ireland last purchased police cars; how many were purchased; and how much the consignment cost.

Paul Goggins: The Police Service of Northern Ireland has advised that 17 cars were ordered on 21 March 2008 at a cost of £206,654.89.
	Police vehicles are ordered over the course of the year as demand requires, so the number ordered and the value will vary on each occasion.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the value was of each contract awarded to Rackspace by his Department in each of the last nine years.

Shaun Woodward: My Department (excluding its Agencies and Executive NDPBs) did not award any contracts to Rackspace in the last nine years.

Sheridan Group

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what steps his Department took to investigate allegations made in the House by the hon. Member for Belfast, East (Mr. Robinson) on 8 February 2006,  Official Report, columns 957-58, of terrorist-related activity by the Sheridan Group; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he expects to answer question 191378, on the Sheridan Group tabled on 27 February 2008.

Paul Goggins: I apologise for the delay in responding. All allegations of criminality drawn to the attention of my Department are referred to the PSNI. In this case the Chief Constable advised that the PSNI had no evidence to suggest that the Sheridan Group had been engaged in criminal activity.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Shaun Woodward: My Department (excluding its agencies and Executive NDPBs) has not made any payments to Zurich Financial Services in the period specified.

PRIME MINISTER

Iraq Conflict: Inquiries

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister whether he plans to hold an inquiry on the Iraq war in the current Parliament.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) during my National Security statement on 19 March 2008,  Official Report, column 932.

Railways

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans to travel by rail on official business.

Gordon Brown: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 551W.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Antisocial Behaviour

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2008,  Official Report, column 697W, on anti-social behaviour, what assessment her Department has made of the proportion of local authorities that have processes in place to respond to local petitions from members of the public.

Parmjit Dhanda: On 27 December 2007 the Government published a consultation on "Local Petitions and Calls for Action". Paragraph 19 of the consultation document proposes a duty on local authorities to respond to local petitions where the subject of the petition relates to the functions of the local authority, or other public services with shared delivery responsibilities with the local authority. The consultation closed on 20 March.
	A number of local authorities have indicated in their response to the consultation that they have established processes for handling petitions. As the consultation document stated, it is the Government's ambition for
	"everyone, no matter where they live, to have the confidence of knowing that their concerns will be taken seriously".

Antisocial Behaviour

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2008,  Official Report, column 697W, on anti-social behaviour, what plans she has to  (a) issue guidance and  (b) consult on the draft guidance, on councillor calls to action.

Parmjit Dhanda: On 27 December 2007 the Government published the "Local Petitions and Calls for Action Consultation", which sought views on the implementation of the Councillor Call for Action. The consultation asked what matters ought to be excluded from the Councillor Call for Action process and in paragraph 41 invited input on what guidance should be provided.
	The consultation closed on 20 March.

Arson: Death

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were killed by  (a) arson and  (b) suspected arson in each year since 1997.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department does not collect information on arson. The following table shows the number of people killed, in England, as a result of deliberate fires. The figures include fires where deliberate ignition is merely suspected or where the fires has been recorded by the attending Fire and Rescue Service as "doubtful".
	
		
			  Fatalities in deliberate fires( 1) , England, 1997  to  2006 
			   Total  Deliberate  Doubtful 
			 1997 98 79 19 
			 1998 84 75 9 
			 1999 92 75 17 
			 2000 91 73 18 
			 2001 67 59 8 
			 2002 90 81 9 
			 2003 98 89 9 
			 2004 78 73 5 
			 2005 93 86 7 
			 2006 97 93 4 
			 (1) Excluding incidents not recorded during periods of industrial action in 2002 and 2003

Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average Band D council tax fire precept is in 2008-09.

John Healey: The average Band D council tax precept for all fire authorities in England in 2008-09 is £59.80.

Council Tax: Parish Councils

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what the estimated gross revenue from parish council precepts is in England in 2008-09;
	(2)  what the gross revenue from parish council precepts was in England in each year since 1997-98.

John Healey: The total value of local precepts issued for each financial year since 1997-98 are shown in the following table. The figures represent the value issued by local precepting authorities, or anticipated by the relevant billing authority.
	
		
			  Financial year  Value  (£ million) 
			 1997-98 144 
			 1998-99 154 
			 1999-2000 165 
			 2000-01 181 
			 2001-02 193 
			 2002-03 210 
			 2003-04 226 
			 2004-05 242 
			 2005-06 260 
			 2006-07 282 
			 2007-08 299 
			 2008-09 323 
		
	
	The data are as reported on Budget Requirement forms submitted annually by all billing authorities in England to Communities and Local Government. The figure for 2008-09 was published in the Statistical Release 'Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2008-09' on 27 March 2008. A copy of the release is available on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/ctax/ctax089.htm

Council Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many domestic properties in  (a) Barnsley,  (b) Doncaster,  (c) South Yorkshire and  (d) England there are in each council tax band.

John Healey: Details of the number of domestic properties in each council tax band in each local authority area in England, in each Government Office region and in England as a whole, are available on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/stats/dwelling.htm
	The data are as at 30 March 2008 and are provided by the Valuation Office Agency.

Council Tax: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 613W, on council tax: valuation, if she will place in the Library copies of the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Revaluation Programme Board (England) minutes for its meetings between 1 January 2005 to 21 November 2005.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 27 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1285W. These minutes relate to internal discussion and advice to Ministers on the formulation and development of Government policy.

Council Tax: Yorkshire and Humberside

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to Table 6 of Local Government Finance statistics on council taxes 2008-09, if she will clarify the figures listed for  (a) Ryedale's and  (b) Hart's average Band D precepts on council tax, excluding parish precepts, in relation to the figures set by each council.

John Healey: The Band D council tax figures that appear in table 6 of the Statistics Release 'Council tax levels set by local authorities in England—2008-09' are derived from figures submitted to the Department by authorities on their Budget Requirement forms. A copy of the Budget Requirement form can be found on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/stats/lgfforms/forms/brlform0809.xls
	The column in table 6 headed 'Average council tax for the authority excluding parish precepts (Band D)' includes special expenses (that is amounts charged to part, rather than the whole, of an authority's area):
	http://www.local.commiinities.gov.uk/finance/ctax/data/ctax089t6.xls

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government at how many events held by her Department  (a) wine and  (b) Fairtrade wine were served in the last three years; and what assessment her Department has made of the merits of serving Fairtrade wine at future events.

Parmjit Dhanda: Hospitality for departmental events is supplied through Communities' contracted facilities management service which includes provision of catering. Since April 2005 there have been 59 events where they have supplied wine, however Fairtrade wine has not been provided at any of these events.
	Her Majesty's Government are committed to improving market access to producers in developing countries through increased participation in fair and sustainable supply chains.
	Communities' hospitality menu is kept under regular review. As part of this, Fairtrade wine has recently been added as an option.

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether confidential or personal information has been compromised through the loss of property from her Department since 1997.

Parmjit Dhanda: Except in exceptional cases, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive governments not to comment on breaches of security. However, following the publication of the Data Handling Procedures in Government: Interim Progress Report on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 98WS, all Departments will cover information assurance issues in their annual reports.

Departmental Film

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many films have been produced in video, DVD and other digital formats by her Department in the last 36 months.

Parmjit Dhanda: In this period, the Communications Directorate produced eight films supporting the Department's policies, for purposes including display at conferences and exhibitions.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by her Department and its predecessors since May 1997.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Overseas Visits

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) destination and  (b) purpose was of each overseas visit undertaken by staff in her Department in the last 12 months.

Parmjit Dhanda: In the 12 months to 31 December 2007 there have been 388 overseas visits undertaken by Communities and Local Government staff. Of the 388 visits, 362 were to Europe; four to Africa, 12 to North America, one to Japan, four to New Zealand and five to Asia (including the Middle East).
	The purpose of these journeys was to represent the Department and provide expert advice on policy/subject issues.
	All travel by staff employed by Communities and Local Government is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code.

Departmental Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the hourly rates of pay of all non-permanent staff working for her Department and its agencies were in each of the last 12 months; and how many staff were receiving each rate in each of those months.

Parmjit Dhanda: There are a number of categories of workers which might be considered as non-permanent.
	Some of staff our staff are employed on fixed term contracts and are considered as Departmental employees under the standard Office for National Statistics definitions. The following table shows the numbers of such staff for each month at the different rates of hourly pay.
	
		
			  Bands defined by hourly rates of pay 
			  Civil Service Grade  Industrial grades  AA  AO  EO  HEO  SEO  Grade 7  Grade 6  Other 
			 Min (£) 6.55 5.65 6.00 7.88 10.65 13.00 17.54 17.54 25.70 
			 Max (£) 10.26 9.07 10.80 13.79 17.57 21.65 26.80 32.22 71.96 
		
	
	
		
			  N umber employed each month (full- time equivalent basis) 
			  Civil Service Grade  Industrial grades  AA  AO  EO  HEO  SEO  Grade 7  Grade 6  Other 
			 29 February 2008 6 1 36 23 21.4 13 12 4 14.61 
			 31 January 2008 7 1 37 19 21 11 11 5 14.2 
			 31 December 2007 8 1 39 20 19.6 11 13 6 10.5 
			 30 November 2007 8 1 40 18 19.6 11.6 13 6 14.2 
			 31 October 2007 8 1 41 19 20.6 4.6 11 5 12 
			 30 September 2007 8 1 44 19.83 17.6 3.6 11 5 11.8 
			 31 August 2007 8 1 47 19.83 15.6 3.6 11 5 10.8 
			 31 July 2007 8 1 47 22.11 16.6 2.6 12 5 11.8 
			 30 June 2007 8 1 41 19.83 14.6 2 12 5 11.8 
			 31 May 2007 8 1 40 17.83 15.6 2 14 5 12.8 
			 30 April 2007 8 1 34 18.83 13 3 13 4 13.8 
			 31 March 2007 7 1 28 18 15 4 14 4 13.8 
		
	
	These figures include Communities and Local Government staff who work in the Government Office network and the Department's executive agencies, apart from the Planning Inspectorate for whom figures were not available.
	The Department also makes use of temporary staff from employment agencies. Such staff are not paid from the Departmental payroll and as such are not classified as Departmental employees under the standard Office for National Statistics definitions. As 29 February there was 237 such temporary staff employed by the Department and its executive agencies. This figure excludes the Government Office network and the Planning Inspectorate for whom the information was not available in the required format. The hourly rates of these staff cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Publications

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance is issued to members of her Department on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Civil Service Code, the Civil Service Management Code and Propriety Guidance on Government Communications, all provide guidance to staff on the publication of material relating to their official duties. Copies of each of these are in the Library of the House. They are also available on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Departmental Publications

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library an electronic copy of the most recent edition of her Department's staff handbook.

Parmjit Dhanda: Our staff handbook has been developed as an interactive publication delivered through the Department's intranet. It is not held in a format which allows it to be easily exported and therefore could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many working days were lost by her Department due to stress-related illness in each of the last 24 months.

Parmjit Dhanda: The numbers of days recorded as lost to stress-related illness in each month are presented in the following table. The information is available in the required format for the last 18 months only. The figures exclude our Executive Agencies and Communities staff working in the Government Office network for which information is not collected centrally. The figures refer to sickness absence where the primary cause is recorded as 'stress, tension'.
	
		
			  Month  Days lost 
			  2006  
			 October 118 
			 November 106 
			 December 67 
			  2007  
			 January 71 
			 February 75 
			 March 45 
			 April 17 
			 May 49 
			 June 69 
			 July 138 
			 August 85 
			 September 106 
			 October 88 
			 November 90 
			 December 47 
			  2008  
			 January 126 
			 February 90 
			 March 79

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many days sick leave were taken on average by staff in her Department in each of the last five years.

Parmjit Dhanda: The following table shows the average working days lost (AWDL) per staff year for the Department and its predecessor the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The figures have been previously published by Cabinet Office in their series of reports Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service. During this period reporting shifted from a calendar year to a financial year basis, and most recently to a rolling 12 month basis whereby figures for the past 12 months are produced on a quarterly basis. The table makes clear the distinction.
	
		
			   Basis  Department  AWDL per staff year 
			 2007 Calendar year Communities and Local Government 6.4 
			 2006-07 Financial year Communities and Local Government 6.2 
			 2005-06 Financial year Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 6.1 
			 2005 Calendar year Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 5.7 
			 2004 Calendar year Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 4.6 
			 2003 Calendar year Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 6.0 
		
	
	Calendar years run from January to December. Financial years run from April to March.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of her Department's staff took more than  (a) five,  (b) 10,  (c) 15,  (d) 20,  (e) 25,  (f) 30,  (g) 35 and  (h) 40 days leave due to stress in each of the last five years, broken down by pay grade.

Parmjit Dhanda: The following table provides the requested information in respect of the 12 months to 31 December 2007. Our records prior to this do not allow for disaggregation into the requested format. The figures exclude our executive agencies and Communities staff working in the Government office network for which information is not collected centrally. The figures refer to sickness absence where the primary cause is recorded as "stress, tension".
	
		
			  Band  AA  AO  EO  HEO  SEO  Grade 7  Total 
			 (a) more than 5 — 1 2 3 2 1 9 
			 (b) more than 10 — 2 — 2 — — 4 
			 (c) more than 15 — 3 — — 1 — 4 
			 (d) more than 20 — — — 2 — — 2 
			 (e) more than 25 1 — — — 1 — 2 
			 (f) more than 30 — — — — — — 0 
			 (g) more than 35 — 1 — — 1 — 2 
			 (h) more than 40 — 1 0 1 1 — 6 
			 Total 1 8 5 8 6 1 29

Departmental Telephone Services

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what  (a) 0800,  (b) 0845 and  (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public are in use by (i) her Department and (ii) agencies which report to her Department.

Parmjit Dhanda: Communities and Local Government and its agencies has one non-geographical telephone number to provide information to homeowners in relation to energy performance certificates (0845 365 2468). A third party manages this service on behalf of the Department. The Department does not derive any revenue from this service.

Departmental Video Conferencing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will set a target to increase the use of video-conferencing by her Department to reduce the need to travel to meetings.

Parmjit Dhanda: Communities and Local Government's travel policy stipulates that business must be settled by telephone or video-conferencing before staff consider travelling. The Department's Sustainable Operations Policy also requires staff to consider the most sustainable option for conducting business, and to use the tele- or video-conferencing systems provided wherever practical instead of travelling. We will be concentrating on increasing the usage of the existing systems in the coming year as a key approach to meeting the Department's new air travel reduction target.

Departmental Working Hours

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many hours  (a) in total and  (b) on average per employee were worked by civil servants in her Department in the last year for which records are available.

Parmjit Dhanda: In the financial year 2006-07 we estimate that 3,670,000 hours were worked by civil servants in Communities and Local Government. This equates to 1,300 hours per employee. It should be noted that many staff will not have been in post for the duration of the year, or did not work on a full-time basis, or both.
	The estimates are derived from the information on available staff years published by Cabinet Office in their report Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service.

Digital Mapping

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which Government Department is the lead body for the development of the Digital National Framework.

Parmjit Dhanda: The activities of the Digital National Framework (www.dnf.org) are agreed by an Expert Group formed of officials representing local and central Government, non-Department Government bodies and the private sector. Their aim is to promote linkages across national and local datasets, which have a geographic component, to support the sharing of information about a common location. The majority of their resource comes from "in kind" contributions of individual members, supplemented by limited financial sponsorship to cover promotional activities and some technical documentation. Therefore there is no single body taking the lead of the Digital National Framework.

East of England Regional Assembly

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to seek the abolition of the East of England Regional Assembly.

Parmjit Dhanda: On 31 March 2008 the Government published 'Prosperous Places: Taking forward the Review of Sub National Economic Development and Regeneration'. This confirms that regional assemblies will not continue in their current form and seeks views on reforms that would streamline the regional tier.

Eco-Towns

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether carbon offsets will be included in calculations to determine whether an eco-town  (a) is carbon neutral and  (b) has zero-carbon status.

Caroline Flint: As we set out in the consultation document 'Eco-towns—Living a greener future', published on 3 April, eco-towns should use innovative design and a range of low and zero carbon energy sources to reduce the demands on energy in the home and other buildings.
	At the scale of 5-20,000 homes, eco-towns have the critical mass necessary to trial and develop new or existing technologies to achieve zero carbon across the whole development. Zero carbon means that over a year, the net carbon emissions from all energy use within the buildings on the development are zero.

Eco-Towns: Planning Permission

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will consider including heat grids and biomass-based tri-generation systems in evaluating the bids for eco-towns.

Caroline Flint: We are currently consulting on the potential locations for eco-towns and the broader objectives and benefits of these new settlements. The consultation document, 'Eco-towns—Living a greener future', was published on 3 April and sets out some innovative approaches that bidders are proposing for more sustainable living. We want to encourage these, and this might include heat grids and biomass-based tri-generation systems.

Eco-Towns: Transport

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether her Department has estimated the percentage of residents in eco-towns who will be expected to travel to work by  (a) rail,  (b) bus,  (c) bicycle,  (d) car and  (e) on foot;
	(2)  whether her Department has estimated how far residents of the new eco-towns will be expected to travel to work on average.

Caroline Flint: We are currently consulting on the potential locations for eco-towns and the broader objectives and benefits of these new settlements. The consultation document, 'Eco- towns—living a greener future', was published on 3 April and sets out what needs to be achieved in terms of sustainable transport. Each location will need its own approach, but will need to demonstrate how it will meet the criteria.

Energy: Conservation

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will estimate how many homes in each metropolitan authority in Tyne and Wear would be rated F or G for energy performance.

Caroline Flint: No research has been undertaken upon which an estimate could be made of how many homes in each metropolitan authority in Tyne and Wear would be rated F or G for energy performance.

Fire Alarms: Standards

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what percentage of  (a) battery-operated and  (b) hard-wired smoke alarms were found to be defective in dwelling fires in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information on the number and percentage of fire alarms which failed to operate in dwelling fires, in England, as recorded by Fire and Rescue Services, is presented in the table:
	
		
			  Smoke alarm failures in dwelling fires( 1)  by type of alarm, England, 1997-2006 
			  Year and Alarm type  Total  Alarm operated  Alarm failed to activate  Percentage failed 
			  1997 
			 Total 15,844 12,192 3,652 23 
			 Battery-powered 7,754 4,884 2,870 37 
			 Mains-powered 7,994 7,263 731 9 
			 Other and unspecified 96 45 51 53 
			  
			  1998 
			 Total 17,531 13,091 4,440 25 
			 Battery-powered 8,108 4,661 3,447 43 
			 Mains-powered 9,325 8,372 953 10 
			 Other and unspecified 98 58 40 41 
			  
			  1999 
			 Total 20,072 14,888 5,186 26 
			 Battery-powered 9,156 5,290 3,867 42 
			 Mains-powered 10,827 9,556 1,271 12 
			 Other and unspecified 89 42 48 54 
			  
			  2000 
			 Total 21,284 15,731 5,552 26 
			 Battery-powered 9,595 5,396 4,198 44 
			 Mains-powered 11,597 10,287 1,310 11 
			 Other and unspecified 92 48 44 48 
			  
			  2001 
			 Total 21,647 15,682 5,964 28 
			 Battery-powered 10,189 5,721 4,467 44 
			 Mains-powered 11,370 9,906 1,464 13 
			 Other and unspecified 88 55 33 38 
			  
			  2002( 2) 
			 Total 20,442 15,153 5,288 26 
			 Battery-powered 9,395 5,458 3,936 42 
			 Mains-powered 10,929 9,615 1,314 12 
			 Other and unspecified 118 80 38 32 
			  
			  2003( 2) 
			 Total 22,079 16,644 5,434 25 
			 Battery-powered 10,057 6,112 3,945 39 
			 Mains-powered 11,896 10,471 1,425 12 
			 Other and unspecified 126 61 64 51 
			  
			  2004 
			 Total 22,779 17,257 5,523 24 
			 Battery-powered 10,147 6,179 3,969 39 
			 Mains-powered 12,540 11,013 1,527 12 
			 Other unspecified 92 65 27 29 
			  
			  2005 
			 Total 23,691 18,179 5,512 23 
			 Battery-powered 9,998 6,212 3,786 38 
			 Mains-powered 13,566 11,884 1,682 12 
			 Other and unspecified 127 83 44 35 
			  
			  2006 
			 Total 23,435 18,038 5,399 23 
			 Battery-powered 9,994 6,426 3,569 36 
			 Mains-powered 13,294 11,510 1,784 13 
			 Other and unspecified 147 102 46 31 
			 (1 )Figures for 1997-2004 and for Q2-Q4 2006 are based on sampled, weighted data. (2 )Excluding incidents not recorded during periods of industrial action in 2002 and 2003.

Fire Services

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were rescued alive by the fire and rescue service  (a) from fires,  (b) from fires in dwellings and  (c) having been trapped or injured by industrial machinery in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information on the number of people rescued alive by the Fire and Rescue Service, in England, from fires in total and in dwellings from 1997 to 2006 has been deposited in the Library of the House. Please note that these data are based on a weighted sample and that figures for 2006 are provisional and subject to change.
	Information on incidents involving personnel trapped or injured by industrial machinery attended by Fire and Rescue Services is not available.

Fire Services

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her policy is on the use of targeted response vehicles to replace fully staffed, fully equipped fire appliances in certain circumstances.

Parmjit Dhanda: Targeted Response Vehicles (TRVs) are used as an extra resource by Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) at specified times and locations to provide a more flexible and increased service in specific areas. Effective use of new midi fire appliances or TRVs crewed with three firefighters can, in certain circumstances, provide a better service for local communities. As well as tackling small fires, using TRVs in identified 'hot spots' can act as a deterrent to miscreants and free up staff for major incidents and community safety work.
	FRAs are required by the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework to have in place and maintain an integrated risk management plan (IRMP) which reflects local need and sets out plans to tackle effectively both existing and potential risks to communities. The IRMP enables the authority to tailor cover for fire and other incidents to local circumstances—evaluating where risk is greatest and allocating resource accordingly.
	It is not the role of Ministers to intervene in the operational proposals of an individual FRA's IRMP; that is rightly the decision for elected members of the authority concerned to determine following full consultation with the local community.

Fire Services

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) railway accidents were attended by the Fire Service and  (b) people were rescued alive from railway accidents by the Fire Service in each year since 1994.

Parmjit Dhanda: The available information covers the number of railway accidents attended by fire and rescue services. Details of any associated rescues are not held centrally.
	
		
			  Railway incidents attended by fire and rescue services in England 
			   Number 
			 1994-95 96 
			 1995-96 93 
			 1996-97 75 
			 1997-98 131 
			 1998-99 92 
			 1999-2000 67 
			 2000-01 108 
			 2001-02 92 
			 2002-03 97 
			 2003-04 69 
			 2004-05 75 
			 2005-06 84

Fire Services

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many persons were rescued alive from fires in dwellings by each fire service in each year since 1994.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information on the number of people rescued from dwellings by Fire and Rescue Services, in England, is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 1: Rescues from fires in dwellings by FRS personnel( 1)  by year, England, 1994  to  2006 
			  FRS area  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  England 2,591 2,780 2,829 2,894 2,972 3,180 4,133 3,431 3,927 3,676 3,201 3,173 3,367 
			   
			  England—Non-Met counties 1,316 1,517 1,418 1,497 1,463 1,573 2,431 1,774 2,164 2,024 1,722 1,663 1,918 
			 Avon 53 47 45 52 61 54 76 98 56 46 31 66 79 
			 Bedfordshire 49 44 14 17 16 24 23 52 26 30 27 62 46 
			 Berkshire 16 55 25 34 20 38 38 37 30 72 33 38 49 
			 Buckinghamshire 10 17 11 13 26 37 40 16 20 37 16 20 27 
			 Cambridgeshire 15 16 12 32 20 28 38 30 38 61 65 32 33 
			 Cheshire 34 36 38 27 54 34 111 116 67 62 53 63 70 
			 Cleveland 44 46 62 43 34 36 82 54 49 68 45 37 44 
			 Cornwall 9 8 13 13 10 15 12 12 17 12 17 10 6 
			 Cumbria 13 19 28 34 32 40 23 18 13 24 29 25 20 
			 Derbyshire 29 58 45 35 61 38 44 28 43 42 70 43 39 
			 Devon 61 110 70 76 83 59 147 100 60 94 54 87 75 
			 Dorset 29 33 22 19 31 20 71 45 37 79 22 7 27 
			 Durham 7 20 20 23 23 25 19 15 23 43 29 23 47 
			 East Sussex 59 53 69 81 54 58 171 58 115 83 118 78 40 
			 Essex 73 46 69 72 86 61 68 85 72 79 50 52 33 
			 Gloucestershire 26 44 25 21 23 29 23 41 18 72 31 23 28 
			 Hampshire 142 56 58 43 88 36 75 67 112 137 116 89 132 
			 Hereford and Worcester 19 12 20 54 33 17 36 29 22 26 28 24 14 
			 Hertfordshire 15 30 77 39 36 36 61 31 54 48 30 47 49 
			 Humberside 39 78 71 52 70 67 73 90 75 89 89 97 153 
			 Isle of Wight 0 7 5 5 8 2 0 4 7 9 4 4 1 
			 Kent 153 100 50 68 66 66 161 55 85 39 39 58 137 
			 Lancashire 66 125 104 133 83 118 182 113 173 176 158 138 153 
			 Leicestershire 31 39 67 52 24 47 62 58 68 30 40 42 40 
			 Lincolnshire 9 27 18 33 36 39 18 12 19 23 35 15 22 
			 Norfolk 21 24 28 54 27 42 24 28 32 51 33 30 39 
			 North Yorkshire 24 16 25 14 36 36 44 51 40 42 29 47 36 
			 Northamptonshire 28 43 51 60 49 61 72 46 42 92 39 47 18 
			 Northumberland 7 6 16 11 5 8 14 6 54 9 11 13 13 
			 Nottinghamshire 81 84 38 92 57 122 159 91 93 115 114 93 96 
			 Oxfordshire 20 24 27 37 23 31 46 17 97 23 19 23 12 
			 Shropshire 2 17 3 17 13 17 26 13 38 3 25 15 8 
			 Somerset 3 20 13 19 12 30 79 39 97 25 54 21 88 
			 Staffordshire 27 34 30 38 45 60 53 55 34 71 48 48 65 
			 Suffolk 15 13 56 7 17 17 104 55 29 10 22 46 22 
			 Surrey 31 34 30 10 10 13 53 20 22 29 51 31 47 
			 Warwickshire 18 15 10 7 25 22 46 11 65 26 9 14 43 
			 West Sussex 28 31 31 31 30 45 39 52 196 28 25 32 29 
			 Wiltshire 10 32 21 27 38 43 18 25 26 18 15 23 37 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			   
			  England—Met Counties 1275 1,263 1,411 1,398 1,509 1,607 1,702 1,657 1,763 1,652 1,479 1,510 1,449 
			 Greater Manchester 179 233 195 201 269 234 282 244 271 281 251 275 217 
			 Merseyside 128 103 152 177 167 202 180 160 126 117 104 117 93 
			 South Yorkshire 131 46 56 31 65 80 81 81 86 105 105 94 98 
			 Tyne and Wear 122 84 94 91 120 102 115 139 107 115 162 136 103 
			 West Midlands 204 215 231 261 259 289 267 254 276 263 172 196 147 
			 West Yorkshire 147 191 138 150 160 162 178 145 211 171 183 196 159 
			 Greater London 364 391 545 487 469 538 599 634 686 599 502 496 632 
			 (1)( )Rescue figures are based on sampled, weighted data.

Fire Services

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many road accidents the Fire and Rescue Service attended in each fire authority area in each year since 1994; and how many people were rescued from their vehicles in each year.

Parmjit Dhanda: Available information, for the period 1995 to 2006, has been deposited in the Library of the House. This information includes the number of incidents where people were extricated from vehicles.
	Information on the number of people rescued from these incidents is not centrally held.

Fire Services

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many incidents involving flooding the Fire and Rescue Service attended in each year since 1994; and how many people were rescued from flooding in each year.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fire Services: Crimes of Violence

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many attacks there were on fire crews in  (a) the East of England and  (b) Suffolk in each of the last five years.

Parmjit Dhanda: Communities and Local Government have only collated figures relating to attacks on firefighters since 2004, so data are not available for the last five years. The following figures are based on returns to the Department from Fire and Rescue Authorities.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Bedfordshire 1 4 4 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 29 15 
			 Essex 0 17 17 
			 Hertfordshire 0 1 0 
			 Norfolk 1 2 4 
			 Suffolk 0 4 3 
			 Total 2 57 43

Fire Services: Crimes of Violence

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many attacks there were on fire crews in  (a) Cleveland,  (b) North East England and  (c) Stockton South constituency in each of the last three years.

Parmjit Dhanda: Figures are not collected for the Stockton, South constituency. The following figures are based on returns to the Department from Fire and Rescue Authorities.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Cleveland 62 96 91 
			 Durham 0 28 48 
			 Northumberland 0 10 7 
			 Tyne and Wear 2 33 98 
			 Total 64 167 244

Fire Services: Manpower

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect of the reduction in fire control centre staff by 112 in the South West on performance standards in Fire and Rescue Services in the area in Gloucestershire.

Parmjit Dhanda: The most recent strength figure (March 2007) for staff employed in the South West Fire and Rescue Authorities is 179.69. The number of staff employed by each Fire and Rescue Authority including those in the South West is a matter for them and consequently the total figure fluctuates around this mark. Likewise, the number of staff employed by the Regional Control Centre in Taunton is a matter for them.
	The South West Regional Control Centre will ensure that the South West region, including Gloucestershire, has a fully resilient Regional Control Centre that is part of a fully networked national system. This network will provide a first class, resilient control service, whereby each Regional Control Centre will provide support to each other, in the event that one or more Regional Control Centres becomes unavailable.
	The performance standards that each Regional Control Centre will meet are presently under discussion but will not be less than those currently achieved. In addition service delivery and firefighter safety will be enhanced through bringing all controls up to the standard of the highest currently in use.
	Every Regional Control Centre will be able to mobilise any Fire and Rescue unit anywhere in England, which is currently not possible. This new network and the associated Firelink communications project will deliver a more efficient and resilient control service.
	Decisions about exact staffing levels will be a matter for the South West Fire Control Service Ltd. to decide. The Fire and Rescue Authorities included in this company are; Avon, Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly and Wiltshire.

Floods: Repairs and Maintenance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have not yet returned to their homes due to flood damage from summer 2007; and what assessment she has made of the availability of the  (a) plumbers,  (b) electricians,  (c) plasterers and  (d) other essential workers necessary to complete repairs.

John Healey: The latest figures provided by local authorities indicate that between 6,400 and 6,700 households are still displaced.
	We have not carried out such an assessment. Insurance companies have given assurances that there are sufficient resources available in the construction industry to deal with repairs to homes affected by the floods.

Housing: Castle Point

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what target she has set for housebuilding in Castle Point constituency over the next planning period; and what the  (a) process and  (b) anticipated timing is for finding sites for these houses.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Proposed Changes to the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England propose a target of 4,000 net additional homes in Castle Point between 2001 and 2021. Of these, 1,114 had been built by the end of March 2007, and planning permission existed for a further 463. General locations for the 2,423 homes still to be identified will be determined through the preparation of Castle Point's Core Strategy, which is due to be adopted next spring. More detailed guidance will be provided through site allocation documents for Canvey Island and for Benfleet, Hadleigh and Thundersley (both due to be adopted in 2010).

Housing: Standards

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to publish the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix for 2007; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: Information collected from local authorities in the 2007 Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix was published on the 18th March 2008 on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/localauthorityhousing/dataforms/357553/hssa200607/

Housing: Trade Unions

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the  (a) Housing and Communities Agency and  (b) OfTenant will maintain voluntary recognition established by the Housing Corporation to (i) Unison and (ii) Unite for collective bargaining purposes; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Staff will transfer from the Housing Corporation to the Homes and Communities Agency and the social housing regulator as though they were transferring under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006, with their existing terms and conditions of service. The Housing Corporation's current voluntary recognition agreement with Unison and Unite will transfer to the Homes and Communities Agency and the social housing regulator and will apply to the staff transferred from the Housing Corporation. As the Homes and Communities Agency will inherit staff from a number of transferring bodies with a variety of different staff representation arrangements, it will develop a set of proposals after creation for a unified approach to staff representation. These will then be used to ballot staff on the issue on the basis of continuous and close involvement of the unions and the staff side.
	As the social housing regulator will inherit staff only from the Housing Corporation, it will continue the current recognition arrangements of the Housing Corporation.

JP Morgan

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department and its predecessors paid to JP Morgan in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each payment was.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department (as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) was formed in 2002 and no payments have been made to JP Morgan since then. Information prior to this date could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the value was of each contract awarded by her Department and its predecessors to Karian and Box since 1997.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department has formally awarded no contracts to Karian and Box since the formation of its predecessor department, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, in 2002. The Department co-branded the Karian and Box survey 'A comprehensive view of local government communications today: LG07 study 2007'.
	Information prior to 2002 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Lighting

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1378W, on lighting, whether switching off street lighting at night is deemed to be a service cut, according to the methodology used by her Department.

Parmjit Dhanda: It would depend on the circumstances. As with any action reported as an efficiency gain, a local authority must assess whether service quality has been maintained and provide evidence to that effect as part of their Annual Efficiency Statement.

Local Area Agreements

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has provided to local authorities on hon. Members' involvement in the development of local area agreements.

John Healey: Each local authority responsible for preparing a local area agreement has a duty to consult "such...persons as appear to it to be appropriate" (Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, Section 106(2)(a)(ii)).
	Draft statutory guidance on how to fulfil this duty was issued for consultation on 20 November 2007. The relevant passages are at paragraphs 4.8 and 5.7 - 5.12 (Creating Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities), which can be accessed on the Department's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/statutoryguidance

Local Authorities: Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) highest,  (b) mode and  (c) mean salary package is for a chief executive of a (i) borough council and (ii) county council, including bonus entitlements.

John Healey: Central Government do not collect the information requested. However, the Local Government Employers conducts an annual survey of chief executive and chief officer salaries and workforce numbers. The results of this survey are available on their website at:
	http://www.lge.gov.uk/lge/core/page.do?pageId=119009

Local Government Finance: Children

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she received from local authorities on the adequacy of the children's social services formula used in the 2008 to 2011 local government funding settlement in assessing the needs of children in urban areas; and what account she took of such representations.

John Healey: During consultation on the 2008-09 settlement, local authorities representing urban areas expressed a range of views about the children's social services formula that was phased in from 2006-07. Most local authorities that expressed a view favoured the full implementation of the new children's formula, which better reflects the current patterns of relative need than the formula it replaced.
	The House approved the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2008-09, including full implementation of this formula, on 4 February 2008.

Local Government: Migration

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities are able to meet costs arising in relation to  (a) short-term and  (b) long-term international migration.

Parmjit Dhanda: In terms of Government funding, we have been able to provide a fair and affordable settlement for local government in a tight spending round, providing an average real terms increase in Government grant of 1.5 per cent. per year over the next three years.
	In the longer term the Office for National Statistics are leading a programme of work to improve the population and migration statistics which will deliver improvements in time to incorporate the results in calculating the next three-year local government settlement.

Local Government: Pensions

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate has been made of the annual cost to local authority employers of the Local Government Pension Scheme as a result of the  (a) recent and  (b) planned changes.

John Healey: The new-look Local Government Pension Scheme, which came into effect on 1 April, was planned as the basis of a future service cost of 19.5 per cent. of payroll, formed of 6.3 per cent. of pay from employees, and 13.2 per cent. of payroll from employers. The actual costs for local authority employers are emerging from the results of the 2007 scheme valuation exercise. The information is not yet fully available centrally.
	To maintain the stability of scheme costs, and achieve a fair and equitable balance between the provision of current and future benefits, and their cost for members, employers and taxpayers, new arrangements for sharing future cost-pressures and risks will be in place by 31 March 2009 to feed into the next, 2010, valuation exercise.

Minister for the East of England: Essex

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 715W, how many times the Minister for the East of England: Essex, has visited the area administered by Essex county council since her appointment; and for what reasons.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Minister for the East of England has not yet visited the area administered by Essex county council. She will be visiting Chelmsford on July 7 for a meeting with Essex county council and other county partners.

Non-Domestic Rates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what legislation governs the setting of yearly multipliers for non-domestic rates.

John Healey: Schedule 7 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988 prescribes the formulae by which non-domestic rating multipliers are set each year and sets out the process to be followed, including in relation to notifying authorities of the multipliers.

Non-Domestic Rates: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what use the Valuation Office Agency is making of Prior Agreements for the 2010 business rates valuation.

John Healey: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is keen to make the rating system more transparent. Prior agreement seeks to involve ratepayers and their representatives actively in the rating revaluation process by exchange of information, discussion and—where possible—agreement of a consistent approach to the valuation.
	Prior agreement works best where the property type is of a discrete nature and where the number of different occupiers is limited. The VOA will look at the possibilities for prior agreement in these circumstances.

Planning: Hillingdon

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what advice her Department has provided to the London borough of Hillingdon in the development of its local planning policies, framework and guidance, with particular regard to  (a) the proposed development of the third runway and  (b) a sixth terminal at Heathrow airport.

Parmjit Dhanda: The London borough of Hillingdon has been advised that in order for the council to submit a sound core strategy (as part of the Local Development Framework), it must develop some strategic spatial development options for the borough and that it is not possible to do this without recognition of Heathrow as a key driver of economic development within the area.
	However, it is recognised that the council would not wish to produce a Local Development Framework that sets out a strategy based only on expansion at Heathrow (beyond T5) and therefore advice on a possible approach has been given. The approach is for the council to consider appropriate strategic spatial options for development in the borough that take as a starting point a range of scenarios for the future development of the airport, including for example, additional capacity by addition of a third runway. This approach would allow the core strategy strategic spatial options to take account of the impact of these scenarios on future development patterns for housing and employment land within the borough.
	The council has been advised that it is not appropriate for realistic strategic spatial options, that are not supported by the council, to be excluded from consideration, particularly in relation to the expansion of Heathrow (beyond T5) which is Government policy.
	It is ultimately for the council to decide how to take forward the preparation of the core strategy.

Property: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Valuation Office Agency's Value Significant Code FC records a property as being  (a) inside a conservation area and  (b) outside but adjoining a conservation area.

John Healey: Value significant codes (VSC) allow the Valuation Office Agency to record electronically property features that may have a positive or negative effect on value. The value significant code FC is recorded for properties both within a conservation area and outside but adjoining or in close proximity to a conservation area. A VSC does not necessarily signal that a property's council tax band should be altered.

Property: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what types of amenity or positive facility are currently treated by the Valuation Office Agency as qualifying for a classification of Value Significant Code FO.

John Healey: Value significant codes (VSC) allow the Valuation Office Agency to record electronically property features that may have a positive or negative effect on its value. Examples of the use of the code FO might include properties whose value is enhanced due to their proximity to open fields, a village green or extensive landscaped grounds. Other VSCs may indicate that a property's value is affected negatively, for example with no mains drainage or located on an unadopted road. Presence of this, or any other, VSC does not necessarily signal that a property's council tax band should be altered.

Property: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many domestic properties in England are classified by the Valuation Office Agency with the Value Significant Code OS.

John Healey: The VOA has not undertaken a comprehensive exercise to gather value significant coding information on all domestic dwellings in England.

Property: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account the Valuation Office Agency takes of the location of a property on a gated estate when revaluing it for the purposes of (a) non-domestic rates and  (b) council tax.

John Healey: When assessing a rateable value for non-domestic rates or a banding for council tax, the focus is on the market value of a property, whether or not it is located on a gated estate.

Property: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the presence of a traveller encampment near to a property has a value significant code used by the Valuation Office Agency for the valuation of a domestic or composite hereditament.

John Healey: There is no such specific code.

Public Libraries: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many public libraries in  (a) England and  (b) Wales were on the Valuation Office Agency's 2005 Rating List in the last period for which figures are available.

John Healey: As at 31 December 2007 the number of Libraries recorded were:
	England: 2,921
	Wales: 255

Regeneration: Manton

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 31 March, if she will break down the £400,000 of private funding attracted by Manton neighbourhood management pathfinder by  (a) funder and  (b) regeneration activity supported.

Parmjit Dhanda: Listed are details of the additional, non neighbourhood Management funding, totalling £408,000 secured by the Manton Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder.
	
		
			  Funding Source and Amount  (£)  Regeneration Activity Supported 
			 WREN 150,000 Development of Manton Park 
			 Al Housing 100,000 Development of Manton Park 
			 Bassetlaw District Council 25,000 Development of Manton Park 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 10,000 Support for local participatory activity 
			 Coalfield Regen Trust 48,000 Grant to support holistic work with Children 
			 Notts Police 75,000 Crime reduction activity

Regional Empowerment Consortia

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding has been provided to the Regional Empowerment Consortia by her Department; and for what purpose.

Parmjit Dhanda: For 2007-08, the Community Development Foundation received £1,175,749 from the Department for Communities and Local Government to support nine independent Regional Empowerment Consortia with their work in supporting improvement in the quality and effectiveness of community empowerment practices undertaken by local and regional partners.

Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when her response to the examination in the public report on the  (a) South West and  (b) East Midlands regional spatial strategies will be published.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Secretary of State's Proposed Changes, which constitute the response to the Examination in Public Panel Report, for the South West and East Midlands are due to be published in spring 2008.

Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made on development of each of the regional spatial strategies; what the timetable for implementation of each is; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The progress and timetable for the implementation of the RSSs are as follows.
	
		
			   Date of implementation 
			  North East  
			 Proposed Changes Consultation Spring 2008 
			 Issue of final RSS Summer 2008 
			   
			  North West  
			 Proposed Changes Consultation Spring 2008 
			 Issue of final RSS Summer 2008 
			   
			  Yorkshire and Humber  
			 Issue of final RSS Spring 2008 
			   
			  East Midlands  
			 Proposed Changes Published Spring 2008 
			 Proposed Changes Consultation Summer 2008 
			 Issue of final RSS Autumn Summer 2008 
			   
			  West Midlands (Phase 2)  
			 Consultation on Draft RSS ends Winter 2008 
			 EiP Spring 2009 
			 Panel Report Summer 2009 
			 Proposed Changes Published Summer 2009 
			 Proposed Changes Consultation Autumn 2009 
			 Issue of final RSS Winter 2009 
			   
			  East of England  
			 Issue of final RSS Spring 2008 
			   
			  South East  
			 Proposed Changes Published Summer 2008 
			 Proposed Changes Consultation Summer 2008 
			 Issue of final RSS Winter 2009 
			   
			  South West  
			 Proposed Changes Published Spring 2008 
			 Proposed Changes Consultation Summer 2008 
			 Issue of final RSS Autumn 2008

Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers her Department and the regional government offices have to intervene in local authority targets setting the context of local area agreements.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, columns 1157-1158W.

Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what role she plays in approving or amending the final version of the regional spatial strategies of each government office region in England outside London.

Parmjit Dhanda: The role the Secretary of State plays in approving and amending the final RSS is outlined in Planning Policy Statement 11—Regional Spatial Strategies.
	The Secretary of State receives the Examination in Public Panel Report and produces Proposed Changes which are subject to an eight-week consultation period. Having considered representations made, the final RSS incorporating any further changes is published together with a statement of reasons for any changes made.

Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the names and addresses are of each Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership; and how much funding is allocated to each in 2008-09.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information requested is tabled as follows:
	
		
			  Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships  Allocation for 2008-09 (£) 
			 West Midlands Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership 5,327,000 
			 Regional Partnership Centre  
			 Albert House  
			 Quay Place  
			 Edward Street  
			 Birmingham B1 2RA  
			   
			 Capital Ambition 5,702,000 
			 London Councils  
			 59½ Southwark Street  
			 London SE1 0AL  
			   
			 North West Improvement and Efficiency Partnership 5,952,000 
			 Waterside Drive  
			 Off Swan Meadow Road  
			 Wigan  
			 Lancashire WN3 5BA  
			   
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership 4,753,000 
			 18 King Street  
			 Wakefield WF1 2SQ  
			   
			 South East Improvement and Efficiency Partnership 7,190,000 
			 Tandridge District Council  
			 Station Road  
			 East Oxted  
			 Surrey RH8 0BT  
			   
			 Lift SW 5,678,000 
			 Suite 5 Stowey House  
			 Bridport Road  
			 Poundbury  
			 Dorchester DT1 3SB  
			   
			 Improvement East 5,890,000 
			 Flempton House  
			 Flempton  
			 Bury St. Edmonds  
			 Suffolk IP28 6EG  
			   
			 East Midlands Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership 5,303,000 
			 47 Loughborough Road  
			 West Bridgford  
			 Nottingham NG2 7QP  
			   
			 North East Improvement and Efficiency Partnership 4,203,000 
			 c/o Association of North East Councils  
			 Guildhall  
			 Quayside  
			 Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 3AF

Regional Planning and Development: North West

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes to green belt designation the most recent version of the North West Regional Spatial Strategy proposes.

Parmjit Dhanda: The most recent version of the North West Regional Spatial Strategy is the Secretary of State's Proposed Changes to the Draft RSS "The North West Plan". These proposed changes are the subject of a consultation exercise which runs from 20 March until 23 May 2008.
	The proposed policy on green belts, RDF4, states that overall the general extent of the green belt will be maintained.
	The policy allows local development frameworks to provide for detailed changes in green belt boundaries to accommodate the expansion of Manchester Airport and Liverpool John Lennon Airport; and to provide for an inter-modal freight terminal at Newton-le-Willows. The policy also requires that, subject to the agreement of the North West Regional Assembly, any other local detailed boundary changes should be examined through the local development framework process.

Unitary Councils

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for each of the new unitary councils to become operational.

John Healey: The Structural Change Orders, which were recently approved by both Houses, provide for the establishment of unitary authorities for Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Cornwall, Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire and Wiltshire on 1 April 2009.

Unitary Councils

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding from the public purse is being provided to each of the new unitary councils to assist their restructuring.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait) on 3 September 2007,  Official Report, column 1684W.

Valuation Office: Council Tax

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library copies of the minutes of the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Revaluation Programme Board for the CTR2007 project.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 27 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1285W. These minutes relate to internal discussion and advice to Ministers on the formulation and development of Government policy.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what these payments were for.

Parmjit Dhanda: Only one payment has been made to Zurich Risk Services (which is part of the Zurich Financial services Group) since the Department (as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) was formed in 2002. Information prior to this date could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The amount paid was £3,612,40 excl. VAT in February 2008. This was the first payment made in respect of a contract for six monthly inspections of Fire and Rescue Service equipment to be used for mass decontamination of people and urban search and rescue.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Health Education

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to encourage programmes promoting sex education and providing contraceptives in Africa.

Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) works with partner governments to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services and commodities through DFID funded country programmes.
	DFID is helping nine developing countries—including South Africa, Uganda and Kenya to strengthening curricula for gender education, including sex education, by funding a £35 million programme called 'transitions to adulthood'. DFID also supports the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in encouraging the development of life skills programmes for school children and out of school youth, which cover issues relating to safe sex and responsible sexual behaviour.
	DFID has recently announced £100 million over five years to the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) to improve access to family planning and reproductive health supplies. DFID is also one of the largest supporters of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), providing £100 million in 2007. GFATM supports both sex education and condom distribution as part of its broader strategy to fight AIDS.

Africa: Overseas Aid

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which UK bilateral aid programmes are underway in  (a) Mozambique,  (b) Sudan,  (c) Ethiopia and  (d) Rwanda; and what the (i) duration and (ii) cost is of each.

Gillian Merron: The following tables show all the UK bilateral aid programmes with a value of £500,000 or more currently under way in Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia and Rwanda.
	
		
			  (a) Mozambique 
			Commitment 
			  Sector  Programme  £ million  From  To 
			 Non-specific Direct Budget Support 218 2008 2013 
			  
			 Governance Support to Reform of the Public Financial Management System 11.3 2003 2009 
			  Support To Public Sector Reform 1.5 2007 2011 
			  Revenue Reform (Tax Authority) 3 2008 2010 
			  
			 Civil Society Support To Civil Society (Co-Funding) 5 2007 2011 
			  
			 Social Social Protection Cash Transfer Programme 1.5 2008 2008 
			  
			 Education Education Sector Common Fund 46 2006 2015 
			  
			 Health Mosquito Bed Nets 8.58 2005 2010 
			  Health Sector Support: Common Fund 17 2007 2011 
			  National Aids Council 0.5 2008 2008 
			  MONASO (Mozambiquan HIV/AIDs NGO) 1.65 2006 2010 
			  RENSIDA (National Network of HIV/AIDS NGOs) 0.55 2006 2011 
			  
			 Infrastructure Community Land Fund 2.1 2006 2010 
			  Roads Sector Common Fund 19.7 2007 2016 
			  
			 Disasters and Humanitarian Flood Rehabilitation 0.5 2007 2008 
			  
			 Other Projects Below £500,000 3.036 n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) Sudan 
			Commitment 
			  Sector  Programme  £ million  From  To 
			 Multilateral Basic Service Fund 19.53 2006 2008 
			  Multi Donor Trust Fund 49.6 2005 2008 
			  
			 Education Training Scheme Phase II 1.4 2005 2008 
			  United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Southern Sudan Go To School 1.78 2008 2008 
			  UNICEF Education Project, Abyei 2 2008 2009 
			  
			 Health And Welfare HIV/Aids Sero-Behavioural Survey 0.5 2008 2009 
			  
			 Public Administration Strategic Development Fund 6 2007 2010 
			  Support Fifth Sudan Population Census 2.8 2007 2010 
			  Supporting Legislative and Electoral Processes 0.95 2007 2009 
			  
			 Water and sanitation UNICEF Water Sector Support 1.2 2006 2008 
			  
			 Sudan Emergency Common Humanitarian Fund 40 2006 2008 
			  Solidarites Emergency Project 1.8 2006 2008 
			  International Medical Corps Upper Nile Project 0.8 2006 2008 
			  Integrated Human Programme, Darfur 3.3 2006 2008 
			  Emergency relief in West Darfur, (Medair, NGO) 1.6 2006 2008 
			  NGO Safety and Security Training 1.2 2008 2009 
			  Tearfund 2007 relief and rehabilitation programme West Darfur 0.6 2007 2008 
			  Action Contre le Faim (ACF) 2007 North Darfur 1.6 2007 2008 
			  Health nutrition and water and sanitation services in Kutum and Abyei (GOAL, NGO) 1.3 2007 2008 
			  International Rescue Committee Humanitarian support 1.6 2007 2008 
			  Building Livelihoods 2.2 2007 2009 
			  Darfur Peace and Stability Fund 5 2007 2009 
			  World Food Programme Emergency Road, Bridge Building and HIV/AIDS Awareness Programme, South Sudan 3.2 2008 2009 
			  Sudan International Committee of the Red Cross 2008 Appeal 5 2008 2008 
			  
			 Sudan: Conflict/Peace Support to Safety, Security and Justice 9.7 2004 2008 
			  Support to Abuja Talks 0.85 2005 2008 
			  United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Strategic Partnership 12.1 2006 2008 
			  BBC World Service Trust 0.9 2006 2008 
			  Support to Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) Transformation Process 0.6 2007 2008 
			  Support to Security Sector Reform 0.5 2007 2008 
			  Threat and Risk Mapping 2.7 2007 2010 
			  Support to Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration 0.65 2008 2009 
			  Community Security and Arms Control 1.7 2008 2010 
			  Justice and Police Development 7.25 2007 2012 
			  Joint Mediation Strategy Team 1 2008 2008 
			  
			 Other Projects Below £500,000 1.76 n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  (c) Ethiopia 
			Commitment 
			  Sector  Programme  £ million  From  To 
			 Development of a Capable, Accountable and Responsive State Public Sector Capacity Building Programme 25 2005 2009 
			  Democracy, Growth and Peace for Pastoralists 4.4 2006 2009 
			  Partnership Fund Phase II 2.4 2007 2008 
			  Civil Service Reform 4.4 2006 2011 
			  2007 Census Support 7 2007 2010 
			  Civil Society Support Programme 5.1 2007 2012 
			  Democratic Institutions Programme 5 2007 2012 
			  
			 Increasing Human Development Protection of Basic Services 169 2006 2008 
			  Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 75.1 2007 2011 
			  Social Marketing of Contraceptives 3.9 2005 2008 
			  Education Pooled Fund 0.9 2004 2009 
			  Teacher Development Programme 5.1 2004 2008 
			  
			 Enable Sustainable Development Ethiopia Rural Travel and Transport Programme 5 2004 2009 
			  Productive Safety Net Programme 93 2005 2010 
			  Humanitarian Response Fund 4 2007 2008 
			  Support to the International Committee of the Red Cross 2 2007 2008 
			  Support to Policy Development in the Water Sector 0.5 2005 2009 
			  
			 Donor Coordination and Strategic Support Strategic Fund 3 2006 2008 
			  
			 Other Projects Below £500,000 2.25 n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  (d) Rwanda 
			Commitment 
			  Sector  Programme  £ million  From  To 
			 Non-sector specific Ten year Development Partnership Agreement (DPA) 46 2006 2016 
			  
			 Health Health Sector Budget Support 12 2008 2011 
			  HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment to Genocide survivors 4.25 2005 2010 
			  Support for the Disabled through VSO 0.8 2005 2009 
			  
			 Economic Planning Support to National Institute of Statistics for Rwanda 5 2007 2010 
			  
			 Governance Support to Rwanda Revenue Authority Phase 6 (RRA) 3.35 2007 2009 
			  Joint Support to Ministry of Finance 5 2006 2008 
			  Civil Service Reform 4.5 2006 2008 
			  Strengthening Oversight Institutions 5.4 2007 2011 
			  
			 Growth Land Tenure Reform 3 2005 20.08 
			  Institutional Development of Ministry of Agriculture 3 2007 2009 
			  Support to Science and Technology 0.7 2007 2008 
			  Joint Growth Analysis 0.9 2007 2009

Burma: Overseas Aid

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has taken to investigate means of providing  (a) in-country and  (b) cross-border assistance to Chin state, western Burma.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) is already providing a significant amount of support to Chin State from inside the country. This includes support to livelihoods and community development activities through the United Nations Development Programme in every Township in Chin State; and support through the Three Diseases Fund for work on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. In addition we have regular discussions with Chin civil society groups about conditions in Chin State, and the prospects for provision of additional support.

Chad: Overseas Aid

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has for the  (a) delivery and  (b) distribution of humanitarian assistance in Chad; what the minimum security requirements are for these plans to be put into effect; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) is planning to continue its humanitarian engagement with a further £5 million in 2008-09. DFID's support will focus in particular on internally displaced persons (IDP) and host populations. DFID will continue to support immediate relief interventions, to improve humanitarian co-ordination and look for ways to encourage early recovery. DFID is working with a range of implementers from the United Nations (UN) agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Red Cross to ensure that the final distribution of assistance is carried out in a transparent and appropriately targeted way, with particular attention taken to ensure that partners are acting with independence and impartiality.
	The relief initiatives supported by DFID are ongoing in spite of a security environment that makes access to vulnerable populations difficult. DFID has chosen partners that have a proven track record of delivery even in the most insecure areas at the Chad/Sudan border. The European Union Force (EUFOR) is mandated to protect IDPs, host populations and aid workers, and to promote the conditions for IDP return; as EUFOR deploys, we expect that it will become easier to deliver aid. DFID is making provision to allow the expansion of relief and early recovery efforts if and when the security environment is improved.

Chad: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions  (a) he,  (b) members of his Department and  (c) UK representatives abroad have had on (i) the humanitarian situation in Chad, (ii) plans to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Chad and (iii) co-ordination of a post-conflict humanitarian response in Chad; with whom such discussions were held; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Secretary of State for International Development chairs regular ministerial meetings on Africa that cover a wide range of subjects, including Chad. The Department for International Development (DFID) is continuing to work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to refine the UK's wider approach to Chad and the region.
	Externally, DFID officials continue to be involved in discussions about Chad on a number of fronts, both in the UK, in Europe and in N'Djamena. The UK leads an informal donor/United Nations (UN) contact group in Geneva, which includes all the major donors engaged in Chad, as well as the key UN agencies active in the humanitarian response. DFID is using this forum for building consensus among donors to improve humanitarian coordination and intervention.
	Other discussions relate to the development of a comprehensive humanitarian protection approach, the relationship of humanitarian actors with European Union forces (EUFOR), and the targeting of aid in the border areas. Recently, discussions have focused on the development of a coherent post-conflict response. DFID is now working to stimulate the UN's planning in this area, and to ensure that the UK's own planning is complementary to the plans being put forward by European partners.

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what visits he made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007; and what events he attended at each.

Douglas Alexander: I have visited one of the listed venues in a ministerial capacity since my appointment as Secretary of State for International Development. This was the Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, to deliver a speech at the 'Women Deliver' event.
	My predecessor, the right hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Hilary Benn), visited the Queen Elizabeth Centre in London on three occasions. In March 2005 he attended an event on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI); in October 2005 he delivered a speech at the 'Tackling Health Inequalities' event; and in January 2007 he attended the 'Moving Young Minds' event. Hilary Benn also attended one event at the Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London for the National Policy Forum in June 2006.

Departmental Public Participation

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many public consultations were held by his Department in each of the last three years; and how many respondents took part in each consultation.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) is committed to consulting effectively with the public and interested groups. DFID guidance on how to consult is based on the Cabinet Office's Code of Practice on Consultation. Public consultations are administered independently by the consulting policy or country team, using this departmental guidance. There is therefore no central record of the number held for the last three years, or of the number of respondents to each, and so it would be of disproportionate cost to provide these details.

Developing Countries: Diseases

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to fund research into  (a) vaccines,  (b) microbiocides,  (c) drugs and  (d) diagnostics for (i) guinea-worm disease, (ii) river blindness, (iii) lymphatic filariasis, (iv) schistosmiasis, (v) intestinal helminths, (vi) leishmaniasis and (vi) sleeping sickness; and what recent discussions he has had with the World Health Organisation on tackling these diseases.

Gillian Merron: The 2006 Department for International Development (DFID) White Paper referred to the need for a substantial increase in DFID funding for drug and vaccine development. More details about plans to fund research will be available when DFID's new research strategy is launched. New funding will be awarded following open competition, so it is not currently possible to identify exactly which areas will be supported.
	DFID is in close and regular contact with the World Health Organisation (WHO). The International Health Partnership (IHP), which is being led by the WHO and the World Bank, aims to help develop and put in place country health plans that include tackling these diseases.

Developing Countries: Females

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps his Department has taken to improve women's  (a) access to education,  (b) political empowerment and  (c) access to family planning resources in developing countries.

Gillian Merron: The UK Government will spend £8.5 billion on education in our partner countries over the period 2006-07 to 2015-16. We prioritise girls' education by supporting our partner governments in putting gender equality at the heart of their own education programmes and by supporting education skills and literacy programmes which target women and girls. DFID is also taking a lead on raising awareness of the importance of girls education with our international partners and is supporting the Global Campaign for Education in its efforts to promote education for girls.
	Women's political participation is promoted by supporting civic and voter education projects and skills and leadership training for female candidates and women's groups. These activities have resulted in better representation of women within political parties and in local government and national parliaments.
	Between 2004 and 2008, the UK Government have provided £80 million in core resources and announced an additional contribution of £100 million over five years to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). This will allow the UNFPA to improve access and supplies of family planning commodities in the developing world. DFID also works with partner governments to ensure access to family planning is prioritised in their health plans.

Developing Countries: Health Education

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution the UK made to multilateral organisations working on sexual and reproductive health in developing countries in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The total UK contributions to key multilateral organisations working in the area of sexual and reproductive health for 2006-07 were as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 25.0 
			 UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) 10.0 
			 World Health Organisation (WHO) 59.0 
			 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) 24.7 
		
	
	These figures do not include funds channelled directly to the UN for specific country programmes.

Developing Countries: Health Education

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to encourage European counterparts to increase their contributions to multilateral organisations working on sexual and reproductive health in developing countries.

Gillian Merron: The UK Government regularly encourage European counterparts to increase their investment in multilateral organisations working on sexual and reproductive health.
	DFID recently pledged £100 million over five years to UNFPA's Reproductive Health Commodity Supply Programme, to improve the availability of family planning supplies in developing countries. To encourage other development partners to increase their support for UNFPA we are sharing the analytical work on this programme and which shaped our decision to support UNFPA, together with the performance monitoring framework by which we will judge the success of the programme.
	At the recent UNFPA informal donors meeting the UK Government also lobbied their development partners for increased investment in sexual and reproductive health.
	The UK was the first government donor to support the Safe Abortion Action Fund in 2007, with funding of £4 million. The UK's initial pledge has resulted in several other donors also contributing a further £3 million.

HIV Infection: Overseas Aid

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will ensure greater involvement of HIV-positive people in the development of his Department's HIV/Aids policies and practices.

Gillian Merron: Following a public consultation the UK Government are currently updating "Taking Action—The UK's strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in the developing world". The updated AIDS strategy will continue to involve people living with HIV in developing and taking forward our AIDS response.

Latin America: Children

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has allocated to support the development of city-wide strategies for early intervention as a means of reducing the number of street children in cities in Latin America.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not allocated specific funding for city-wide strategies to stem the flow of street children in Latin America. DFID support for street children is delivered largely through non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Overseas Aid

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of total aid spending by his Department was received by the 30 recipients in receipt of the greatest value of aid in 2006-07.

Shahid Malik: The 30 recipients in receipt of the greatest value of aid received 73 per cent. in total of Department for International Development (DFID) bilateral aid in 2006-07.

Overseas Aid

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of aid from his Department to  (a) India,  (b) Tanzania,  (c) Sudan,  (d) Bangladesh,  (e) Pakistan,  (f) Afghanistan,  (g) Ethiopia,  (h) Nigeria,  (i) Uganda,  (j) Democratic Republic of Congo,  (k) Ghana,  (l) Kenya,  (m) Malawi,  (n) Zambia,  (o) Indonesia,  (p) Mozambique,  (q) Vietnam,  (r) Iraq,  (s) Nepal and  (t) China in 2006-07 was classified as direct budgetary support.

Shahid Malik: Poverty Reduction Budget Support (PRBS) is aid provided to a partner government to support poverty reduction programmes and spent using the Government's own financial management, procurement and accountability systems. PRBS includes General Budget Support which aims to help implement the Government's poverty reduction strategy; and Sector Budget Support which aims to achieve objectives within a particular sector or sectors.
	The Department for International Development's (DFID) total bilateral programme in 2006-07 in the 20 countries listed was £1.65 billion. £448 million of this (27 per cent.) was delivered in the form of PRBS.
	Details on the level of PRBS provided to each country and the proportion of DFID's total bilateral programme that PRBS represents in each country for 2006-07 are in the following table.
	
		
			  DFID Bilateral Programme, 2006-07 
			   Total DFID Bilateral Programme (£000)  Poverty Reduction Budget Support (PRBS) (£000)  Proportion of total Bilateral Programme delivered as PRBS (percentage) 
			 India 233,857 16,000 6.8 
			 Tanzania 112,220 90,000 80.2 
			 Pakistan 101,118 52,500 51.9 
			 Ethiopia 90,497 69,883 77.2 
			 Uganda 77,981 40,000 51.3 
			 Ghana 68,831 45,753 66.5 
			 Malawi 63,309 33,335 52.7 
			 Zambia 61,369 23,300 38.0 
			 Mozambique 56,273 36,800 65.4 
			 Vietnam 52,401 34,500 65.8 
			 Nepal 42,833 5,446 12.7 
		
	
	DFID did not provide PRBS to Sudan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Indonesia, Iraq or China in 2006-07.

Press

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost of the press offices of  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies was in each year since1996-97; what the cost was in each quarter since 1 April 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have any agencies, and is responsible for two non-departmental public bodies—the Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, which do not have any press offices.
	The figures up to 2003 do not cover all press office costs. Prior to 2003-04, press team staff costs can be identified but non-staff costs were not identifiable. Following changes to financial management systems, all press office costs can be identified from 2003.
	The annual cost of the press office in DFID since 1996-97 is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			   Annual cost for staff only (£) 
			 1996-97 195,000 
			 1997-98 243,000 
			 1998-99 240,000 
			 1999-2000 100,000 
			 2000-01 150,000 
			 2001-02 148,000 
			 2002-03 191,000 
		
	
	
		
			   Total annual cost (£) 
			 2003-04 404,000 
			 2004-05 682,000 
			 2005-06 563,000 
			 2006-07 805,000 
		
	
	
		
			  2007-08  Total quarterly cost (£) 
			 1(st) quarter 236,000 
			 2(nd) quarter 308,000 
			 3(rd) quarter 315,000

Somalia: Armed Conflict

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of people who have left  (a) Mogadishu and  (b) Somalia because of the conflict there.

Gillian Merron: The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate that 64,000 Somalis have been forced to leave their homes in Mogadishu during 2008. This is in addition to the 700,000 people displaced from Mogadishu during 2007.
	UNHCR also estimate that since 1 January 2008, approximately 15,000 Somalis have sought asylum in neighbouring countries. Provisional UNHCR estimates are that as of the end of 2006 there were 464,253 Somali refugees.

Somalia: Overseas Aid

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the level of the assistance provided by  (a) French and  (b) Danish military forces to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: A key element in the operational response to the humanitarian situation in Somalia is the logistical effort to deliver food and other relief supplies to Somalia by sea but the threat of piracy in 2007 made delivery hazardous. The introduction of military escorts has been useful, with no incidents of piracy affecting escorted vessels.
	Since December 2007 the French and Danish military forces have escorted in total 70,000 metric tonnes of humanitarian aid to Somalia. Consignments included relief materials for UNICEF and UNHCR in addition to World Food Programme food aid. The Dutch military have recently taken over escort duties.

Somalia: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions  (a) he,  (b) members of his Department and  (c) UK representatives have had with (i) members and (ii) representatives of (A) the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, (B) the Government of Ethiopia, (C) the European Commission, (D) the Governments of member states of the European Union and (E) the United States Administration, regarding (1) the provision of basic (aa) humanitarian and (bb) medical supplies and (2) the humanitarian situation in (v) Mudug region, (w) Galgadud region, (x) Nugaal region, (y) Bakool region and (z) Mogadishu; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Officials at the Department for International Development, together with colleagues at the British high commission in Nairobi and the British embassy in Addis Ababa, are in regular contact with the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, including the President and Prime Minister, and with the Government of Ethiopia. The discussions are varied, and the humanitarian situation has been regularly discussed, specifically on allowing agencies and NGOs unhindered access to areas in need.
	Officials based in Nairobi meet regularly through the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) to co-ordinate humanitarian assistance. The United States of America, European Commission and member states of the European Union are all represented at these meetings.
	The UK Government maintain regular contact with all parties the hon. Member lists. The Minister for Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), my right hon. Friend Lord Malloch Brown, raised humanitarian issues when he met President Yusuf in January 2008 and with Prime Minister Hussein and the Government of Ethiopia at the African Union summit in February 2008. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Hilary Benn)—former Secretary of State for DFID—met with President Yusuf last year and discussed the humanitarian situation.
	Most of DFID's humanitarian assistance (which includes medical supplies) is not earmarked to regions within Somalia. This enables our implementing partners (e.g. the International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Food Programme) to remain flexible and to react to changing circumstances on the ground. However, some of the NGOs that we support work in specific areas, e.g. a nutrition programme with the International Medical Corps (IMC) in Bakool and a nutrition, water and sanitation programme through Action Contre le Faim (ACF) in Galgadud.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development's central records do not show any payments being made to Zurich Financial Services since 1997.

TRANSPORT

Aircraft: Air Conditioning

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports she has received on  (a) incidents involving the contamination of aircraft cabin air supply by fumes from engine lubricants and  (b) the commercial aircraft types which have experienced a contamination of the cabin air supply from the fumes of engine lubricants.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The latest information is set out in the following table. It is taken from the Civil Aviation Authority's mandatory occurrence reporting scheme (MORS) database which contains reports of contaminated air events aggregated to include all UK operators. The nature of any potential contaminant is not recorded on the database, so the fumes could have come from sources other than engine lubricants e.g. chemical toilets or the galley. In 2007, there were 116 contaminated air events (reported to the CAA). These figures are out of 1.3 million airline flights—passenger and cargo operations—for the calendar year 2007.
	
		
			  Aircraft type  Reportable occurrences involving contaminated air (2007) 
			 Boeing B757 47 
			 Airbus A319 15 
			 British Aerospace BAe146 12 
			 Airbus A320 8 
			 Boeing B777 6 
			 Boeing B747 5 
			 Various other aircraft types 23 
			 Total 116

Aircraft: Air Conditioning

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations her Department has received on lubricant contamination of the air supply in aircraft cabins; what discussions she has had with British Aerospace and Civil Aviation Authority on this issue; and whether her Department plans to undertake research into the problem of contamination of cabin air on commercial aircraft.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government are leading research in this area. In 2007 we commissioned a world first research project to try to capture substances released during transient "fume events." The first stage of this work was to identify and test equipment capable of sampling potentially harmful substances in cabin air. The report into this (first stage work) was published by Cranfield University on 21 February after peer review. It is published on the Department's website. The next phase of work is to use the equipment identified to capture real-time fume events; this work is being developed.
	We have regular contact with the CAA about this. The Department has had no discussions with BAe or other aircraft manufacturers, but they did give evidence to the Committee on Toxicity enquiry, and a note of the meeting is on the internet at http://www.advisory bodies.doh.gov.uk/pdfs/annex5tox0621note.pdf

Aircraft: Air Conditioning

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to publish the results of her Department's research into cabin air sampling.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The first stage of research, into the capability of equipment to capture fumes in cabin air, was published on 21 February 2008, after peer review. It is on the Department for Transport website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/hci/cabinairtest.pdf.
	We are confident we now have equipment capable of real time cabin air sampling. The second stage of research, to use that equipment on participating airlines, is being developed. We do not expect to be in a position to be able to publish results until 2009.

Airports: Security

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which airports operate  (a) a one-bag rule and  (b) a two-bag rule; and what steps she is taking to standardise practice.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Secretary of State announced that the one bag restriction imposed on UK airports would be lifted once individual airports had demonstrated sufficient screening capacity whilst also maintaining our security standards. Currently 31 airports are approved to allow each passenger to take more than one cabin bag through security at UK airports, but airports and airlines may retain cabin bag limits regardless of the restriction being lifted. We are actively encouraging the remaining airports to seek removal of the restriction and expect more airports to follow shortly.
	The 31 airports where the restriction has been lifted fully are Aberdeen, Benbecula, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Dundee, Edinburgh, Farnborough, Gatwick, George Best Belfast City, Glasgow, Gloucestershire, Guernsey, Heathrow, Humberside, Inverness, Islay, Isle of Man, Kirkwall, London City, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Plymouth, Prestwick, Southampton, Southend, Stansted, Stornoway, Sumburgh and Wick.

Aviation

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many flights there were  (a) into and  (b) out of UK airports in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007; and what estimate she has made of the projected total number of flights (A) into and (B) out of UK airports in (1) 2008, (2) 2009, (3) 2010 and (4) 2011.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of flights into or out of UK airports in 2006 and 2007 is shown in the following table. The split of flights between arrivals and departures is almost exactly equal.
	
		
			  Outturn aircraft arrivals and departures at UK airports 
			   Thousand per annum 
			   Flights into and out of UK airports 
			 2006 1,949 
			 2007 1,992 
			  Note: Coverage of airports is as in CAA Airport Statistics table 5.1 and Transport Statistics Great Britain table 2.2  Source: DfT analysis of Civil Aviation Authority data 
		
	
	The coverage of air transport movements (ATMs) in the DfT aviation forecasting model, along with the methodology and forecast results, is set out in 'UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts' (2007), available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/ukairdemandandco2forecasts/.
	This differs slightly from the coverage of the figures reported above, due to the forecasting model's base year data not including the smallest airports, domestic charter, and positional flights. The difference amounts to around an extra 67,000 flights per annum in 2007 in the CAA data.
	The central forecast for flights into and out of UK airports from 2008 to 2011 is shown in the following table. Forecasts of aircraft flights split between arrivals and departures are not available. For the purposes of forecasting aviation CO2 emissions, departures and arrivals are assumed to be split evenly, as per the outturn CAA data.
	
		
			  Forecast aircraft arrivals and departures at UK airports 
			   Thousand per annum 
			   Flights into and out of UK airports 
			 2008 1,958 
			 2009 2,035 
			 2010 2,100 
			 2011 2,166

Aviation: Costs

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the real terms cost of travelling by air was in each year since 1997, taking 1997 as the baseline.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the average UK one-way air fare, including taxes and charges, covering domestic and international flights.
	
		
			  Average UK one-way air fare, 1997 prices 
			   £ 
			   Average air fare 
			 1997 203 
			 1998 192 
			 1999 163 
			 2000 158 
			 2001 143 
			 2002 129 
			 2003 112 
			 2004 107 
			 2005 101 
			 2006 103 
			  Notes: 1. 'Fare' includes all taxes and charges. 2. Covers domestic and international scheduled flights, but excludes transfer and charter passengers. 3. Domestic component based on a sample of routes where sufficient data available.  Source: DfT analysis of CAA and IPS data.

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the UK volume of carbon dioxide emissions from aviation in  (a) 2006 and  (b) 2007; and what estimate she has made of the projected volume of carbon dioxide emissions from aviation in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010 and (iv) 2011.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport published forecasts of UK aviation carbon dioxide emissions in November 2007 in 'UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts'. This can be viewed at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/ukairdemandandco2forecasts/airpassdemandfullreport.pdf
	Outturn UK aviation carbon dioxide emissions for 2006 were published in January this year by Defra and can be viewed at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/index.htm
	These data show that UK aviation accounted for 37.9 MtCO2 in 2006. Outturn emissions data for 2007 will not be available until early 2009.
	Outturn emissions are calculated from aviation bunker fuel consumption data, which are closely related to fuel used on departing flights. To ensure consistency with historic reported totals, and to avoid double-counting carbon dioxide emissions, DfT's forecasts reflect emissions from all domestic and international flights departing from UK airports. DfT forecasts for 2007-11 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  UK Aviation emissions of carbon dioxide 
			   (MtCO 2 ) 
			 2007 39.0 
			 2008 39.6 
			 2009 41.0 
			 2010 42.0 
			 2011 43.0

Aviation: Fuels

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the effect on forecast unconstrained demand for airport capacity in 2030 as shown in the Future of Air Travel Progress Report of using the most recent cost of aviation fuel instead of the assumed figure of $42 per barrel;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the effect on forecast unconstrained demand for airport capacity in 2030 as shown in the Future of Air Travel Progress Report of including the recent change in Air Passenger Duty.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The results of updating the forecasts of air passenger demand in 'The Future of Air Transport Progress Report' (2006) with the latest data, including the 2007 increase in Air Passenger Duty, were reported in 'UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts' (November 2007), which is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/ukairdemandandco2forecasts/
	Table 2.9 (p. 37) shows the central forecast is for unconstrained air passenger demand to grow from 228 million passengers per annum (mppa) in 2005 to 495mppa in 2030.

Aviation: Fuels

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the effect on forecast unconstrained demand for airport capacity in 2030 as shown in the Future of Air Travel Progress Report of assuming that the cost of aviation fuel will rise until 2030 at half the rate that it has risen in the last four years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The latest forecasts of UK air passenger demand were reported in 'UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts' (November 2007), which is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/ukairdemandandco2forecasts/
	Table 2.10 (p.41) reports the effect of a set of sensitivity tests, whereby key inputs are varied within reasonable bounds, on demand. This includes varying the oil price projection in line with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's oil price range.
	The impact of assuming that the cost of aviation fuel continues to rise until 2030, but at half the rate that it has risen in the last four years, is not available.

Aviation: Fuels

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the most recent price of aviation fuel in  (a) dollars per barrel and in  (b) pence per litre was, ignoring any hedging arrangements.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Aviation fuel price data are not officially collected. However, information on aviation fuel prices is available from sources such as:
	www.platts.com
	Based on daily wholesale prices reported by Platts, the price of aviation jet fuel in March 2008 averaged $133 per barrel, or 42 pence per litre.

Aviation: Fuels

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the average proportion of airline costs fuel represents, calculated on the same basis as the figure given in the Future of Air Transport White Paper.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Table 2.3 of CAA's 'Airline Financial Statistics 2006-07' reports a breakdown of operating revenues and expenses for major UK airlines. This is available at:
	http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=80&pagetype=88&sglid=13&fld=2006_2007
	The data show that aircraft fuel and oil accounted for £4.0 billion (26 per cent.) of the £15.6 billion total operating expenses incurred by major UK airlines in 2006.

Biofuels: Asthma

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to commission research on the effects of biofuels on asthma.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have commissioned and published various pieces of research into the effects of biofuels on air quality. These include an evaluation of the impacts of vegetable oil fuel on the emissions of two light duty diesel vehicles available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/research/cqvcf/dftbiofuelsevaluationofemiss3823
	and an evaluation of the potential impact of bioethanol on emissions of a wide range of air pollutants available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/research/ethanolemissionstestingmainr3843
	The Government have not commissioned any research specifically on the effects of biofuels on asthma, but a recent Department of Health call for research on the health effects of air pollution included a call for studies on the health effects of biofuels, as transport fuels or for domestic heating. In addition, the Department of Health provides programme funding to the social medicine and health services research unit at Imperial college which conducts epidemiological studies on asthma, including on air pollution.

Bridges: River Wear

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received from Sunderland council on proposals to build a new bridge over the River Wear between Claxheugh and Castletown.

Rosie Winterton: I met with the hon. Member for Houghton and Washington, East (Mr. Kemp) along with a delegation from Sunderland city council on 23 October 2007 to discuss a number of issues including the proposed Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor major local transport scheme. In addition, my officials met with officers at Sunderland city council on 4 April 2008 to discuss a number of issues relating to the business case for the proposed scheme.
	Subject to officials receiving a response from the council on a number of outstanding matters, I hope to shortly be in a position to consider whether or not to grant initial programme entry for the scheme.

Bus Services: Halifax

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department allocated to Halifax local authority for spending on bus services in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Halifax is in the area covered by the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority (WYPTA) and the Department's support for bus services is allocated to WYPTA rather than to individual local authorities in the area.
	In the last five years a total of £4.9 million was allocated to WYPTA in rural bus subsidy grant. In the same period WYPTA also received £5 million in funding from the Department's urban and rural bus challenge and Kickstart schemes. Four of the projects, totalling £2.4 million, supported under these schemes involve services in Calderdale district which includes Halifax.
	Bus companies operating in and around Halifax also receive bus service operators grant from the Department. This is a payment equivalent to about 80 per cent. of the fuel duty operators incur in providing local bus services. However, as BSOG is a payment direct to operators, statistics are not kept of payments by local authority or geographical area.
	Local authorities may also use funding from the Government's unhypothecated revenue support grant (formula grant) to support local bus services.

Bus Services: Nationalisation

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will bring forward proposals to bring local bus services back into public ownership.

Rosie Winterton: The Government have looked at various times at the issue of bus regulation, starting with the 1998 White Paper which led to the Transport Act 2000. There was also last year's review which has led to the proposals in the Local Transport Bill giving, among other things, more scope for local authority involvement in bus services.
	On each occasion in the past, we concluded that constructive partnership between a largely private sector industry and local authorities is a better way forward than wholesale re-regulation in delivering the services needed by passengers. Indeed, we feel that the private sector strengths in management, innovation and investment are central to the future of the industry.

Car Sharing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which sites have been identified as potential high occupancy vehicle lanes.

Tom Harris: Following the completion of the advanced motorway signalling and traffic management feasibility study, the Highways Agency has been asked to consider measures to lock in the benefits of additional capacity in locations on the motorway network where it is to be provided, including HOV lanes. This work is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many days sick leave were taken on average by staff in her Department in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The average number of days sick absence per staff year in the Department for Transport in each of the last five years is:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2007 11.0 
			 2006 10.2 
			 2005 10.4 
			 2004 10.7 
			 2003 10.2

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2008,  Official Report, column 373W, on departmental data protection, if she will include information assurance data on data loss incidents in previous years in her Department's next annual report.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport is currently preparing its 2007 annual report. This report will include information assurance as part of the statement of internal control. It will also include summary details of significant breaches for 2007 and the previous three years, where consistent information is available.

Departmental Data Protection

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) cross checks and  (b) linkages (i) exist and (ii) are planned between the data records of individuals stored on databases maintained by (A) her Department and (B) other departments.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Information on cross-checks and linkages, both existing and planned, is shown in the following table. This does not include cross-checks and linkages with public sector bodies other than Government Departments and agencies (eg police, local authorities, or TfL).
	
		
			   (i) Existing  (ii) Planned 
			  (a) Cross checks DSA's practical driving test booking system (Driving Test Control System—DTCS) links with the DVLA database of drivers' records for test entitlement checks, eg holder of a valid licence for the test being undertaken DSA's new Testing and Registration system (TARS) will link to DVLA's database of drivers' records for test entitlement checks. This is a migration from the existing system and is expected to go live in May 2008 
			
			  DSA's DTCS/TARS system checks with Systems Application and Products to maintain driving test examiners' skills records DSA's Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) database will link to DVLA's driver records to conduct the following CPC entitlement checks: 
			   1. To confirm that a given driver licence number exists on the DVLA driver database 
			   2. To confirm the driving entitlements of a given driver (for CPC purposes this is limited to considering bus and lorry vehicle categories) 
			   3. To confirm whether the driver has CPC 'acquired rights' (this is based on the dates the driver obtained the above driving entitlements) 
			   When a driver achieves an initial (or renewed) CPC qualification, then the CPC database will transmit details of the new qualification to the DVLA driver database for the update of the relevant driver's records. This is expected to go live in September 2008 
			
			  DSA's theory test booking system checks the DVLA database of drivers' records for test entitlement checks  
			
			  DVLA's Electronic Vehicle Licensing (EVL) system checks with the Department for Work and Pensions' database to check whether a customer is eligible for exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). EVL performs a similar check against Veterans' Agency data to verify customers' eligibility for exemption from VED  
			
			  VOSA checks vehicle records against DVLA vehicles database on a case by case basis as required for targeted enforcement purposes  
			
			  DVLA's Driver Validation Service provides registered Data Partners (such as HM Courts Service and HM Revenue and Customs) with online read-only access to the Drivers' database. Registered Data Partners make their enquiries via their desktop through a secure portal  
			
			  DVLA's Drivers' Licensing system (D90) has a link to the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) which allows a DVLA clerk to check the name/address details on a customer's application form matches those on his/her passport. (This check is initiated manually by the clerk, and is only performed if a customer signified his/her consent on their application form).  
			
			  DVLA record the holders of instructor licences so that DSA can contact instructors who fail to declare driving convictions  
			
			  (b) Linkages DVLA's on-line Drivers' Licensing System (DRP) links to Identity and Passport Service (IPS) to check whether an applicant has an electronic passport. Where an electronic passport is found, DRP retrieves the customer's photograph and signature from the IPS database. The IPS photograph and signature may then be re-used for printing on the driver's licence. (This check is initiated automatically when a customer applies for a first provisional licence on the web)  
			
			  DVLA's DRP system has links to the Government Gateway in order to verify a customer's Government Gateway ID. (This check is performed automatically as part of web applications for driver's licences)

Departmental ICT

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department has spent on IT projects since 2005; and what estimate she has made of the total likely expenditure on IT projects between 2005 and 2010.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The requested information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the table below relates to the DFT's key IT projects that are monitored centrally which either start or finish between 2005 and 2010.
	
		
			  Department/agency  Project name  Start date  Expected completion date  Estimated costs (£ million) 
			 DFT Shared Services Programme April 2005 April 2009 115 
			 DVLA Driver Licensing: Drivers Re-engineering Project (DRP) phase 2 August 2003 December 2008 103 
			 DVLA Smart Tachograph Project July 2000 June 2005 15.1 
			 DVLA Vehicles System Software (VSS) Replatforming January 2005 December 2007 13 
			 DVLA Driver Licence Upgrade (DLUP) July 2004 November 2008 16 
			 DVLA Vehicle Integration Northern Ireland August 2006 Second half 2009 21.3 
			 DVLA Driver Licence Ten Year Renewals Phase 1 July 2007 June 2008 13.3 
			 DSA Driving Test Control System (DTCS-T) May 2006 Spring 2008 3.37 
			 DSA Driver CPC (Recording and Evidencing) January 2007 August 2008 26.5 
			 HA Traffic Control Centre: PPP service; providing co-ordinated real time information on traffic conditions across most strategic road network August 2001 August 2011 160 over 10 years 
			 HA Electronic Service Delivery of Abnormal Loads (ESDAL) April 2004 June 2009 development 9.64 development 
			June 2011 operation 1.21 operation

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of her departmental website.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The new Department for Transport (DFT) website was launched on 26 January 2007. A new content management system was implemented and the project costs were £1.5 million.
	These costs covered accessibility and usability testing; design of a new information architecture based on user feedback and testing; development of a new visual design; the design and build of the system; migration of content; and the purchase of an enterprise software licence. The enterprise software licence allows the Department to migrate other DFT sites to the same content management system without incurring further licence costs. This will help to reduce hosting and maintenance costs across the Department.

Departmental Telephone Services

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) 0800,  (b) 0845 and  (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public are in use by (i) her Department and (ii) agencies which report to her Department.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following 0800, 0845 and 0870 telephone numbers for the public are currently in use by the Department for Transport and its agencies:
	
		
			   Services provided  0800  0845  0870 
			 DFT Central Heathrow Consultation Line 0 1 0 
			 DVLA Information services, automated self services, technical helpdesks and reporting unlicensed vehicles 15 1 1 
			 HA HA Information Line (HAIL) and Central Switchboard for Traffic England phone service and publications 0 2 2 
			 DSA Related to practical and theory driving test bookings 0 0 (1)4 
			 MCA MCA Infoline 0 0 1 
			 VOSA Public Hotline, Operator license credit card payment scheme and national number 0 1 2 
			 VCA  0 0 0 
			 GCDA  0 0 0 
			 (1) Will be terminated later in 2008 and replaced by 0300 numbers

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority: Telephone Services

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) on the average time taken for callers to speak to the DVLA department of their choice; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The average time taken to answer a customer (in seconds) once they have made an appropriate choice from within the Agency's interactive voice response units (IVR's) over the last six months is:
	
		
			   Average time (seconds) 
			 March 2008 76 
			 February 2008 45 
			 January 2008 33 
			 December 2007 10 
			 November 2007 10 
			 October 2007 21

Driving Licenses: Lost Property

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving licences her Department and its agencies have  (a) requested as proof of identity or for addition of points,  (b) received and  (c) had reported lost or stolen by (i) the Department or its agencies and (ii) the owner of the licence.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not request Licences as proof of identity.
	 (b) The vast majority of points that are recorded on Licences are recorded by either the Courts or a Fixed Penalty Office (FPO). Normally the only instance when a Licence would be requested is if the driver is unable to produce the Licence to the Court or FPO.
	 (c)
	(i) The Department for Transport does not keep these figures.
	(ii) Drivers who report a Licence lost or stolen do so by applying for a duplicate Licence. Duplicates may be applied for for other reasons e.g. damage, and our records do not differentiate between the reason for the issue of duplicates.

Driving: Epilepsy

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving licences were  (a) surrendered and  (b) withdrawn following driving accidents caused by epileptic fits in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Data are not available in relation to instances when driving accidents have occurred. Data are only available on the overall number of licences surrendered to, or revoked by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) on the grounds of epilepsy in calendar years 2004, 2005 and 2006. The data are broken down to ordinary (car/bike) and vocational (lorry/bus) driving entitlement. The data relate to cases where in the majority of instances, the driver themselves have notified their condition to DVLA.
	
		
			   Ordinary entitlement  Vocational entitlement 
			   Revocation  Surrender  Revocation  Surrender 
			 2004 1,645 1,290 385 37 
			 2005 1,834 1,421 396 42 
			 2006 1,725 1,327 324 27

Driving: Epilepsy

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she last issued guidance on driving and epilepsy.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) issued guidance, including guidance on epilepsy and driving, in February 2008.

Driving: Epilepsy

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents caused by an epileptic fit on the part of a driver there were in 2007.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Information on the number of accidents caused by drivers with specific medical conditions is not collected. Figures relating to reported personal injury road accidents in 2007 will not be available until the end of June 2008.

Driving: Licensing

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have had their driving licence withdrawn on medical grounds in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Data are only available for calendar years 2004, 2005 and 2006. The data are broken down to ordinary (car/bike) and vocational lorry/bus) driving entitlement. The data relate to drivers who have either had their current licences revoked, or applications for a licence refused.
	
		
			   2004  2005  2006 
			 Ordinary 24,256 26,245 25,525 
			 Vocational 5,972 6,100 5,166

Driving: Licensing

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the procedures used when someone has their driving licence returned following earlier withdrawal on health grounds; and whether she plans to review these procedures.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has been considering the effectiveness of all aspects of the system in place in Great Britain for ensuring that drivers are medically fit to drive.
	The Department for Transport is currently preparing a public consultation on possible changes. A date has not yet been set for its publication.

Galileo

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many jobs she estimates will be created in the UK as a direct result of the Galileo project.

Rosie Winterton: UKspace—the UK industry association for space—currently assesses that about 400 highly skilled engineers and technicians are working directly on Galileo and as many as 1,600 posts are dependent on Galileo in the wider supply chain and employment in the UK.
	Developing the downstream products and applications for Galileo is where it is expected that the major part of the benefits will occur, and where most jobs are expected to be generated. However it is difficult to be specific about the number of jobs that will become dependent upon the Galileo system in the UK, at this time, as future growth in this sector will depend on the outcome of forthcoming procurement competitions.

Galileo

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the most recent review of the  (a) costs,  (b) risks,  (c) revenues and  (d) timetable of the Galileo project.

Rosie Winterton: The European Commission's most recent review of the Galileo programme's costs, risks, revenues and timetable was published in its Communication of 26 September 2007 entitled: "Progressing Galileo: Re-Profiling the European GNSS Programmes" and the accompanying staff working document.

Galileo

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the UK's financial commitments to the Galileo project beyond the development phase.

Rosie Winterton: There has been no political discussion of potential funding commitments for the public sector beyond 2013.

Galileo: Repairs and Maintenance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the UK of repairs to the Galileo European satellite navigation system.

Rosie Winterton: Funding for the replenishment of the satellite constellation is included within the €6 billion (roughly £4.3 billion) the Commission estimated in 2007 would be required for the programme over the period 2013-30.
	Discussions on how these funds might be sourced and what elements might come from private and public sources will not take place until the programme has advanced to a later stage. We expect the Commission to bring forward proposals for financing future phases of the programme in 2010.

Great Western Trains: Standards

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of all recorded  (a) delays,  (b) cancellations and  (c) diversions of passenger rail services under the Greater Western franchise in the last two years were attributable to (i) track and signalling infrastructure failures and (ii) engineering works for which Network Rail was responsible.

Tom Harris: Train performance data for the rail network are collected and processed by Network Rail. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's Chief Executive at the following address for a response to his question:
	Iain Coucher
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	40 Melton Street
	London NW1 2EE

Heathrow Airport

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what percentage of passengers forecast to use  (a) Heathrow and  (b) Gatwick Airports in (i) 2010, (ii) 2020 and (iii) 2030 are forecast to be in transit between an international flight and (A) a domestic and (B) another international flight.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 20 March 2008
	The latest DfT aviation forecasting methodology and results were reported in 'UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts' (2007), available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/ukairdemandandco2forecasts/.
	The following table shows the forecasts for total and transfer passenger travel through Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
	
		
			  Forecast UK terminal passengers (million passengers per annum, mppa) and transfer shares of total 
			Transfer passengers mppa  Transfer passengers (percentage) 
			   Total passengers mppa  Domestic to/from international  International to international  Domestic to/from international  International to international 
			  Heathrow 
			 2010 74 6 23 7 31 
			 2020 94 4 25 4 27 
			 2030 136 4 36 3 27 
			   
			  Gatwick 
			 2010 36 1 3 3 8 
			 2020 38 1 3 2 8 
			 2030 41 1 2 1 6 
			  Note: DfT forecasts of demand at each airport depend on capacity assumptions at all UK airports. These forecasts assume the central 'White Paper' case, including an extra runway and associated terminal capacity at both Stansted and Heathrow.

Heathrow Airport

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings she or her Ministers have had with  (a) local authority leaders and  (b) residents' groups to discuss (i) Heathrow Airport expansion and (ii) the rehousing of potentially displaced people; and on what dates.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Ministers held several meetings with local authorities and residents' groups both in the run up to and during the "Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport" consultation. I met with local authority leaders on 29 October 2007 and 16 January 2008 to discuss issues related to the potential expansion of Heathrow airport. This included the impacts of the proposals on those living near the airport but did not specifically address rehousing of displaced people.
	My predecessor met with the Longford Residents' Association on 16 January 2006—with the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell)—and I have since met with residents' groups on the following occasions to discuss development at the airport:
	21 November 2007: No Third Runway Action Group, Harmonsworth and Sipson Residents' Association and Stanwell Moor Residents' Association;
	30 January 2008: Heathrow Airport Consultative Committee meeting (includes Ealing Aircraft Noise Action Group) and
	21 February 2008: Battersea residents—with the hon. Member for Battersea (Martin Linton).

Heathrow Airport

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the  (a) number of new homes required to house people displaced by a potential third runway at Heathrow Airport and  (b) the likely costs of such homes.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The "Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport" consultation closed on 27 February. This stated that a third runway at Heathrow would require additional land, with loss of around 700 properties. If, following this consultation, policy approval is given for a third runway, BAA as the airport operator would be responsible for obtaining the necessary planning approvals, purchasing the additional land and compensating home owners. BAA has estimated that this would cost around £2 billion.

Heathrow: Carbon Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what she estimates the annual emissions of carbon dioxide arising from the third runway at Heathrow will be.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The consultation document "Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport" published in November 2007 by the Department for Transport includes information on the climate change impacts of the three options which involve an additional runway at Heathrow. The consultation closed on 27 February 2008.
	The latest UK air passenger demand and CO2 forecasts are reported in DFT's "UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts", November 2007, available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/ukairdemandandco2forecasts/airpassdemandfullreport.pdf.
	In line with the Air Transport White Paper commitment, these forecasts assume that aviation meets its external climate change costs.
	Table 17 on page 178 of the consultation document set out the carbon dioxide emissions under each option in total, on an annual basis, and the total climate change cost:
	
		
			   Total CO 2  (million tonnes)  Average CO 2  per year (million tonnes)  Total climate change costs (£ billion) 
			 Option 1—Heathrow third runway around 2020 180.8 (1)2.6 4.8 
			 Option 2—Mixed mode at 480,000 ATMs around 2010, Heathrow third run way 2020 179.1 2.6 4.8 
			 Option 3 —MM at 480,000 ATMs around 2010, MM at 540,000 ATMs around 2015, Heathrow third runway around 2020 181.1 2.6 5.0 
			 (1) For appraisal consistency this is expressed over 70 years, although the additional total emissions occur over 60 years. The equivalent figure over 60 years is 3.01 million. 
		
	
	The UK is continuing to press for the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). As the Heathrow consultation document states, under current proposals aviation emissions would effectively be capped at the average level over the period 2004 to 2006. This means that when the trading scheme is established, any additional aviation emissions above that level would lead to no increase in total emissions, since airlines would have to pay for the equivalent emissions reductions in other sectors.

JP Morgan

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department and its predecessors paid to JP Morgan in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each payment was.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department was formed in May 2002. Since this date the Vehicle Certification Agency (VGA), an executive agency of the Department, has made payments totalling £1,587.31 to J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. These payments are in respect of bank charges on receipts and payments and some one-off set-up costs since 1 March 2005 for VGA's commercial banking services in the United States. The breakdown of annual spend in each year is as follows:
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			 2005 735.24 
			 2006 691.97 
			 2007 70.10 
			 2008 to date 90.00

Lighting

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding the Highways Agency has allocated to research on  (a) luminaire maintenance factors and  (b) street lighting (i) in the last 12 months and (ii) the next 12 months.

Tom Harris: The Highways Agency in partnership with other UK local highway authorities proposed a study in 2007-08 to investigate luminaire maintenance factors. This study is due to complete in 2008-09 for which the Agency has allocated a £13,000 contribution.
	The Highways Agency allocated £393,000 in 2007-08 and £165,000 for 2008-09 to fund a range of road lighting assessment projects. These are part of the Agency's Efficiency Strategy for Road Lighting under the Sustainable Development Action Plan. This work will significantly reduce the Agency's carbon footprint, and capital and operational costs due to road lighting.

Lorries

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans her Department has to improve training for drivers of left-hand drive lorries using UK motorways; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no specific plans for the UK Government to train drivers of left-hand drive lorries. However, from September 2009 European directive 2003/59 EC requires all new lorry drivers across Europe to obtain an initial qualification—a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence—before being able to drive professionally. Additionally, all lorry drivers will need to undertake 35 hours periodic training every five years. So by 2014, all existing lorry drivers will also need to obtain the qualification.

M1: Road Works

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the roadworks between M1  (a) junction 1 and London Gateway services and  (b) junctions 6 and 10 are taking place concurrently.

Tom Harris: Before scheduling the roadworks at Gateway services, the Highways Agency carefully considered the potential impact on road users. Based on the typical traffic flow over recent years on this part of the M1, and keeping the same capacity by ensuring all existing lanes are open during the day, any delay was assessed to be minimal.
	It is normal practice to maintain a separation of at least 10 km between concurrent major roadworks on motorways, where possible. The Gateway services are more than 10 km from junction 6a.
	Traffic flow at the Gateway services is half that at junction 6a, so many drivers will only experience one set of roadworks on the M1.
	The Highways Agency concluded that the safety benefits from completing the roadworks between junctions 1 and the Gateway services justified putting them on at the same time as those between junction 6a and 10.
	Both sets of roadworks are expected to be complete by the end of 2008.

M20: Noise

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of noise levels on the M20 between Maidstone and Ashford; what plans there are to resurface the road; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: In 2002 the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) carried out a noise assessment on this section of the M20 on behalf of the Highways Agency. This was part of the Government's programme for prioritising the surfacing of concrete roads under the Ten Year Plan. The results of TRL assessment indicated that the noise levels on the section of the M20 between Junction 8 (Maidstone) and Junction 9 (Ashford) were three dB(A) more than predicted and therefore it qualified as a high priority site for resurfacing. There have been no further noise assessments on this section since 2002.
	As the road surface on the M20 between Junction 8 and Junction 9 is still in a structurally sound condition there are no plans at the present time to resurface for at least five years.

M5

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) representations her Department has received and  (b) assessment her Department has made of the safety of raised expansion joints on lane three of the M5, southbound between Junctions 1 and 2.

Tom Harris: The Highways Agency has not received any representations about raised expansion joints on this length of the M5.
	The Agency makes regular safety inspections of the motorway network and these joints have not been identified as a particular problem.

M5

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Highways Agency has paid in compensation to motorists whose cars have been damaged by the surface of the road on the M5 in the last 12 months.

Tom Harris: The Highways Agency has not paid any compensation to motorists whose cars may have been damaged by the surface of the road on the M5 over the last 12 months.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her Department's estimate is of carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles in  (a) 2006 and  (b) 2007; and what estimate she has made of the projected total carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010 and (iv) 2011.

Jim Fitzpatrick: According to the emissions inventory published annually by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from road transport in 2006 were 120.3 million tonnes. Data for 2007 have yet to be published.
	The Department for Transport forecasts road transport CO2 emissions using the National Transport Model. This model produces forecast for 2010, 2015 and 2025, but not interim years. We, therefore, do not have a forecast of emissions for 2008, 2009 or 2011. Our 2010 forecast is for CO2 to be 2 per cent. lower than it was in 2003 and so in the region of 116 million tonnes.

Motorcycles

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she has taken to mainstream motorcycling in line with the Government's motorcycling strategy announced in February 2005.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government's Motorcycling Strategy includes a wide range of actions which aim to improve motorcycle safety and mainstream motorcycling. We regularly keep these actions under review, working with motorcycling industry and user groups through the National Motorcycle Council and its four sub-groups. We intend to publish progress on these actions together with details of revised actions later this summer.
	Some examples of progress to date are as follows:
	New guidance to local authorities on Use of Bus Lanes by Motorcycles;
	Guidance to highway authorities on motorcycle-friendly infrastructure; and
	Use of motorcycle-friendly crash barriers on parts of the HA network.

Motorways: Accidents

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the annual number of  (a) crashes and  (b) fatalities on the motorway network (i) with and (ii) without hard shoulder running.

Tom Harris: The analysis carried out to support the Advanced Motorway Signalling and Traffic Management Feasibility Study published by the Department for Transport on 4 March considered that safety rates were the same for motorways with and without hard shoulder running. Thus, the analysis assumed that there would be a slightly larger increase in accidents with hard shoulder running compared with doing nothing, as a result of an expected small increase in traffic flows.
	The criterion adopted for the M42 pilot was that there should be no overall deterioration in safety after the introduction of hard shoulder running.
	The initial six month analysis suggests that this goal may have been achieved and possibly bettered. However, a longer run of data is needed for firm conclusions to be drawn.
	Maintaining road user safety is and will remain a top priority and a safety case would be produced for each future hard shoulder running scheme, covering any additional hazards or risks. This analysis might require different methods of operation, implementation and equipment provision to ensure achievement of the required safety levels.

Night Flying

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many night flights there were from each regional airport in  (a) England,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Wales and  (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department of Transport does not hold information about the number of night flights at regional airports.
	Information about night flight movements will be held locally by the airport operator and this will vary in scope and detail from airport to airport. The statistics for night flights at East Midlands airport (EMA) which were set out in my answer of 13 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 531-2W to the hon. Member, were provided, on request, to the Department by the airport operator.

Parking Offences

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the likely change in the number of successful prosecutions for illegal parking as a result of the recently announced changes to enforcement practices by local authorities.

Rosie Winterton: Prosecutions are carried out by the police and the new parking regulations make no changes to their activities. 230 English local authorities have taken over from the police the enforcement of parking and that number increases each year. In those areas the number of penalty charge notices served by an individual local authority, and paid by motorists, will increase or decrease primarily according to local circumstances and local parking behaviour. The new regulations are aimed at improving parking behaviour, thereby improving traffic flows in the interests of other road users.

Public Transport: Carbon Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her Department's strategy is for reducing the dependence of urban public transport on fossil fuels over the next 10 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Following publication of the Department for Transport's "Towards a Sustainable Transport System" in October 2007, we intend to look at the full range of options for putting transport on to a less carbon-intensive path.
	More specifically, we have been considering with stakeholders whether changes to the existing arrangements for the subsidy of bus services, which are the main form of urban public transport, would increase the contribution of buses to delivery of our environmental and other objectives. A key consideration is whether particular subsidy changes would incentivise improvements to the fuel efficiency of the bus fleet and the use of environmentally friendly vehicles. We published on 13 March a consultation document, entitled "Local Bus Service Support—options for reform", which invites views on our proposals; and copies are available in the Libraries of the House.
	The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation which comes into effect in April 2008 will require the major oil companies and fuel suppliers that supply fossil fuels for road transport to ensure that a proportion of the road fuel supplied in the UK comprises renewable fuels such as biofuels. The level of the obligation will be 2.5 per cent. of total fuel supplied by the supplier in the first year (2008-09), rising to 3.75 per cent. in 2009-10 and 5 per cent. in 2010-11.
	We are working with the rail industry to trial the use of biofuels which could, subject to satisfying concerns about carbon benefits and overall sustainability, reduce reliance on conventional fossil fuels. We will also keep under review the case for more strategic electrification of the rail network.
	We also support the Commission's intention to legislate to improve the average g/km carbon dioxide emissions performance of passenger cars. This should reduce use of fossil fuels, both by encouraging use of other fuel sources and by encouraging more efficient use by those vehicles that continue to be powered by oil products. We have pressed the Commission to commit to a target of 100 g/km CO2 average for 2020.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 745W, on Rackspace, which of her Department's websites Rackspace was contracted to host between 2005 and 2008.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Rackspace were used by the Department during the development of a secure site to be used by the 38 safety camera partnerships operating within the National Safety Camera Programme for England and Wales. The work was, however, cancelled before completion following the Secretary of State's announcement on 15 December 2005 that the national programme was to cease on 31 March 2007.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 745W, on Rackspace, what the value was of each contract awarded by her Department's predecessors and its agencies between 1999 and 2002.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Due to machinery of government changes that took place at the beginning of financial year 2002-03 the Department for Transport is unable to answer questions about contracts awarded by predecessor Departments without incurring disproportionate cost.

Railway Stations

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which  (a) local authority areas and  (b) constituencies do not have a railway station operating passenger services.

Tom Harris: The following council areas in England and Wales do not have a railway station on the national rail network operating passenger services:
	Wansbeck
	North Tyneside
	South Tyneside
	Derwentside
	Teesdale
	Richmondshire
	Rossendale
	Bury
	North West Leicestershire
	East Northamptonshire
	Corby(1)
	Gosport
	East Dorset
	West Somerset
	Torridge
	North Cornwall
	(1) A new station is planned at Corby.
	This information is not available on a constituency basis.

Railways

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to encourage rail operators to provide direct rail services to London from more towns in Great Britain.

Tom Harris: New franchise agreements specify a minimum service level that takes account of demand and network capacity. Bidders can propose more services, where this is operationally practicable. There are also provisions to deal with the need for extra trains during the life of a franchise.

Railways: Overcrowding

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will hold discussions with East Midlands Trains on overcrowding at peak times on train services from Warrington station.

Tom Harris: I am aware that East Midlands Trains had problems at the start of the franchise with rolling stock availability for the Liverpool-Norwich route. It has put in place measures to ensure that as much rolling stock as possible is now available for use on the route.
	East Midlands Trains is carrying out passenger counts to evaluate the overcrowding and to formulate plans to improve capacity. The refurbishment programme for Class 158 vehicles commences this summer and will provide a 13 per cent. increase in seating capacity.

Roads: Accidents

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the percentage of drivers  (a) who had one or more accidents,  (b) who had one or more accidents in their first year of driving and  (c) aged 17 years who had one or more accidents in the last year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not available. However, the Department is shortly due to publish a research report on the experiences and attitudes of learner and new drivers, including their involvement in accidents. The research, in which "cohorts" of candidates taking the practical driving test completed a postal survey after their test, and if they passed, at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months subsequently, found that the highest accident rates occurred in the first six months after passing the practical test.
	This rate was estimated to be equivalent to 0.44 accidents per year. The accident rate then dropped in the next six months to an equivalent of 0.24 accidents per year. The accident rates given include accidents involving low speed manoeuvring, for example in car parks and drives.

Roads: South Yorkshire

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of road there are in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster for which her Department is responsible.

Tom Harris: The Secretary of State for Transport is only responsible for roads maintained by the Highways Agency. The current length of these roads in  (a) Barnsley metropolitan borough council is 23.9 miles; and  (b) Doncaster metropolitan borough council is 40.2 miles.

Speed Limits

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 23 October 2007 to the hon. Member for Cheadle,  Official Report, columns 235-6W, on speed limits, if she will take steps to establish how many  (a) roads have a 20 miles per hour speed limit and  (b) schools have 20 miles per hour zones outside them.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport has recently commissioned a new research project on local road safety policy and practice, and some information about the implementation of 20 mph zones will be collected from local authorities as part of this study.

Speed Limits: Radar

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to restrict  (a) the sale and  (b) the use of devices to detect road-side police enforcement radar sites.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Road Safety Act 2006 gives the Secretary of State the power to prohibit by regulations a vehicle being fitted with, or a person using a vehicle carrying, speed assessment equipment detection devices. The Government have always made clear that they do not intend to prohibit the use of purely GPS based devices which identify the location of cameras through publicly available information. It does however wish to prevent the carriage and use of devices which detect or interfere with the operation of speed measuring equipment through other means. The actual devices to be covered by the ban will be the subject of full public consultation before the associated secondary legislation is laid before Parliament.

Transport: Fuels

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) evidence she has evaluated and  (b) research she has commissioned, on the whole life carbon emission consequences of the replacement of fossil fuels by biofuels for transportation purposes; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In 2005 the Government undertook a detailed feasibility study into the practicality of introducing an obligation for renewable transport fuel. As part of this study, the Government took into account a wide range of scientific evidence on the costs and benefits of biofuels including Government-funded studies by Sheffield Hallam university and the Central Science Laboratory considering the lifecycle benefits and impacts of biofuels. Research published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre in association with the European Council for Automotive Research and Development (EUCAR) and the Oil Companies' European Organisation for Environment, Health and Safety (CONCAWE) on biofuels and other potential future transport fuels was also taken into account.
	In 2006, the Government commissioned the development of a carbon calculation methodology for biofuels to underpin the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). This included proposed default carbon saving assumptions for a variety of biofuels, taking account of evidence from a wide range of scientific studies.
	In 2007, Defra commissioned AEA Technology to undertake a review of work on the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and environmental sustainability of international biofuels production and use. Their report is due to be published shortly.
	The Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) is also currently leading a review of evidence of the wider environmental and economic effects of biofuels. Part of this review will include a study examining the evidence concerning the GHG emissions arising from land-change, cultivation of biofuels, agricultural practices and advanced biofuel technologies. An initial report from the RFA is expected by 27 June including recommendations for further work.
	The Government will continue to take into account new scientific evidence on the impacts of biofuels as it becomes available, and will continue to tailor their biofuel policies accordingly.

West Coast Railway Line

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what times unused network capacity is available on the West Coast Main Line for non-stop services between Milton Keynes and Euston and between Euston and Milton Keynes during  (a) morning and  (b) evening peak periods.

Tom Harris: The December 2008 timetable optimises the use of network capacity on the west coast main line and uses all of this capacity at peak times between London and Milton Keynes on the fast lines.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department and its predecessors paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department was formed in May 2002. Since this date the Department has made payments totalling £92,981 to Zurich Financial Services as follows:
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			  2002  
			 Rent and service charges for a property in Carlisle 22,252 
			  2003  
			 Rent and service charges for a property in Carlisle 29,669 
			  2004  
			 Rent and service charges for a property in Carlisle 25,342 
			  2005  
			 Rent and service charges for a property in Carlisle 15,718

HOME DEPARTMENT

Binge Drinking

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of the availability of alcohol on levels of binge drinking.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office's review of the alcohol industry's social responsibility standards document and the Department of Health's review of the links between alcohol pricing, promotion and harm will report later in the year and will form the basis of further action to tackle binge drinking and alcohol-related harms.
	In addition, as announced in the publication of the first review of the Licensing Act 2003 in March, we will undertake further comprehensive research into post-midnight drinking patterns and their impact on crime and order, and will not hesitate to take the necessary action through new legislation and enforcement measures to tackle this.

Policing: Stop and Search

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to enable the police to carry out stop and searches more effectively.

Tony McNulty: The Flanagan Review of Policing looked carefully at Stop and Search (and Stop and Account) effectiveness. In line with its views, the Review of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) will propose that, where effective hand-held IT is in use, the lengthy written record at point of contact will no longer be required.
	This has the potential to save around 285,000 hours of officers' time per annum, better support intelligence-led policing and speed the process for the public. We are firstly piloting this approach in Stop and Account, with a view to rolling it out nationally later this year. We are also reviewing the guidance on the use of the Stop and Search powers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
	To boost effectiveness, and responding to crime recording management recommendations in the Flanagan Review of Policing, we are looking to combine work on Stop and Account and crime recording to determine how best to consider and use the information collected, and assess its impact on community engagement and confidence. Records obtained from stops should be used to enhance local intelligence.

Crime: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what change there has been in the number of crimes committed in York over the last three years.

Tony McNulty: In the last three years total recorded crime in the York Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area fell from 23,080 to 20,935 offences. This represents a decrease of 9 per cent.

Illegal Immigrants

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of illegal immigrants in the UK.

Liam Byrne: Since the phasing out of embarkation controls in 1994, no government has ever been able to produce an accurate figure for the number of people who are in the country illegally.
	By Christmas, our Border Information Systems will count in and out the majority of foreign nationals.
	This, together with the fingerprinting of all visa applicants and the issuing of ID cards to foreign nationals creates a far more effective set of controls.

Policing: Information

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to improve the availability of information on local policing resources and performance to local communities.

Tony McNulty: Since 2006 police authorities have had a statutory responsibility to produce an annual Local Policing Summary.
	In addition, the publication of the Police Performance Assessments for 2007-08, will include assessments of local priorities and resources and efficiency.
	The Government are committed to making consistent, monthly local information on crime available which will include data on crime and community safety issues and what local agencies are doing to tackle priorities.
	Furthermore, from April 2008 every household across the country now has a dedicated police team to solve local problems. As we move into the next phase of neighbourhood policing, we will be consulting on a new Policing Pledge. Introduced everywhere later this year, it will set out a national standard on what people can expect from the police, underpinned in each area by a set of local priorities, agreed by people in each neighbourhood.

Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports she has received on the progress of police investigations into alleged breaches of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Tony McNulty: We have received no reports from the police on the progress of investigations into alleged breaches of the 2000 Act. The regulation of electoral administration, party funding and campaign expenditure law are matters for the independent Electoral Commission working as appropriate with the police and others.

Police Bureaucracy

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to reduce police bureaucracy.

Tony McNulty: In his recent Review of Policing, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, examined the issue of police bureaucracy.
	Sir Ronnie's wide ranging recommendations have been accepted and work continues apace to remove unnecessary bureaucratic burdens from police officers.
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's strong endorsement of Sir Ronnie's measures is clear evidence of our commitment to bear down on unnecessary bureaucracy in policing.

Crime: Rugby and Kenilworth

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Rugby and Kenilworth constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office does not collect crime data specifically for constituencies. The Rugby and Kenilworth constituency comes within the combined Rugby and Warwick Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership areas. The number of violence against the person offences recorded in these combined CDRPs was as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2002-03 2,511 
			 2003-04 2,828 
			 2004-05 2,902 
			 2005-06 2,884 
			 2006-07 3,311

Police Funding: Airports

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to bring forward legislation to reform the allocation of funding for policing at airports.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office and Department for Transport are jointly taking forward work to strengthen airport security planning at airports and establish a transparent funding process for policing costs. This work builds on the recommendations of the Independent Review of Airport Policing carried out by Stephen Boys Smith.
	We understand the importance of these measures and are actively seeking to place them on a legislative footing at the earliest opportunity to introduce a more robust system that ensures that individual airports look at all the threats and risks, that appropriate mitigation is in place and that the airport operator meets the costs of any agreed uniformed police presence.

Domestic Violence

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to reduce the incidence of domestic violence.

Jacqui Smith: We have developed a national delivery plan to address domestic violence.
	The plan includes the development of 98 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, and national coverage of Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences; these are now part of the Tackling Violence Action Plan 2008-11.
	We are doubling the number of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, rolling out Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences by 2011 and ensuring that vulnerable victims of domestic violence will have access to specialist support services.
	We will be continuing to fund Independent Domestic Violence Advisers to support the Specialist Domestic Violence Courts in 2008-09.
	We are committed to ensuring perpetrators are held to account and we are developing proposals for extending existing arrangements for managing violent offenders in order to manage proactively those individuals who are identified as being at risk of committing serious violence.

Animal Experiments

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to reduce the number of animals used in the testing of food additives.

Meg Hillier: The testing of food additives is carried out to satisfy the requirements of the Food Safety Act 1990, for which the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has responsibility, and is an example of specific legislative requirements under which procedures on animals are carried out. The number of animals used varies from year to year and depends on the requirements of industry and the regulators concerned. In the circumstances, it would not be appropriate to place a limit on such testing. However, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 requires that the procedures authorised must cause the minimum possible suffering to the smallest number of animals of the least sentience and we will continue to ensure that these requirements are met in all categories of animal use, including the testing of food additives.

Case Resolution Directorate

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) running,  (b) IT,  (c) legal,  (d) consultancy and  (e) administrative costs for the Case Resolution Directorate have been; what they are expected to be in the next three financial years; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The costs associated with the Case Resolution Directorate from April 2007 to the end of February 2008 were as follows:
	 (a) running costs which encompass resource costs such as pay stood at £26.426 million;
	 (b) IT costs are managed centrally by Home Office IT and to isolate the Case Resolution element could be obtained only at disproportionate cost;
	 (c) Legal costs which are taken to mean legal fees, adverse costs and compensation stood at £0.211 million. Appeal costs are borne elsewhere in the Border and Immigration Agency.
	 (d) Consultancy costs stood at £0.771 million;
	 (e) Administrative costs (assuming to mean all non-pay costs, including training) stood at £1.451 million.
	The total spend for the Case Resolution Directorate stood at £28.860 million.
	The budget for the forthcoming three financial years have not yet been set.

Credit Cards: Theft

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to compel credit card companies to report the  (a) theft and  (b) misuse of credit cards to the police; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The financial industry, the police and the Home Office all recognised that the system for reporting and recording cheque, plastic card and internet banking fraud that applied prior to 1 April 2007 was both bureaucratic and did little to further the investigation and prosecution of offenders.
	To combat this, the Home Office, with agreement from Association of Chief Police Officers and APACS (UK Payments Association), introduced a new system. From 1 April 2007, it became the responsibility of financial institutions to pass on directly to the police, via a single point of contact in each police force, those matters where an investigation could be pursued, to provide a greater chance of prosecuting offenders than before.
	The changes to reporting and recording are intended to reduce the level of bureaucracy involved in fraud recording, and streamline the reporting and initial investigation of such frauds. A Home Office chaired group comprising representatives from the banks and law enforcement meets to keep these new arrangements under review and make changes where appropriate.
	As part of work to implement the findings of the Fraud Review, new money has recently been allocated to establish a new National Fraud Reporting Centre which will equip law enforcement agencies with a powerful intelligence tool and help form the basis of better prevention advice and alerts to fraud threats for business and the public.

Crime: Victims

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of victims of  (a) violent incidents,  (b) burglaries and  (c) vehicle-related thefts were (i) unemployed, (ii) employed, (iii) students (iv) looking after a family home, (v) long-term or temporarily sick, (vi) retired and (vii) other unclassified in each police force area in each year since 1997;
	(2)  in how many and what percentage of violent incidents the victim was classified in ACORN categories  (a) wealthy achievers,  (b) urban prosperity,  (c) comfortably off,  (d) moderate means and  (e) hard pressed in each police force area in each year since 1997;
	(3)  in how many and what percentage of  (a) incidents of violence against the person,  (b) burglaries,  (c) vehicle related thefts,  (d) incidents of vandalism and  (e) thefts from the person the victim had a yearly income of (i) less than £10,000, (ii) between £10,000 and £20,000, (iii) between £20,000 and £30,000, (iv) between £30,000 and £40,000, (v) between £40,000 and £50,000 and  (f) £50,000 and above in each police force area, in each year since 1997;
	(4)  in how many and what percentage of  (a) violent incidents,  (b) burglaries,  (c) vehicle related thefts,  (d) vandalism and  (e) thefts from the person the victim was (i) an owner occupier, (ii) a social renter and (iii) a private renter in each police force area, in each year since 1997;
	(5)  how many and what percentage of  (a) victims of burglary and  (b) others owned (i) a burglar alarm, (ii) a deadlock, (iii) an outdoor sensor, (iv) an indoor sensor, (v) window locks, (vi) window bars and (vii) a security chain on the door in each police force area in England and Wales, in each year since 1997;
	(6)  in how many and what percentage of  (a) violent incidents,  (b) burglaries,  (c) vehicle related thefts,  (d) cases of vandalism and  (e) cases of theft from the person the victim lived in (i) a semi-detached house, (ii) a detached house, (iii) a terraced house, (iv) a flat/maisonette and (v) other accommodation in each police force area, in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not available at police force area level.
	The British Crime Survey is designed to examine variations in levels of victimisation by sub-groups of the population across England and Wales as a whole. Expanding the survey to provide similar estimates at police force area level could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

Crimes of Violence: Drugs

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of offenders involved in violent incidents were under the influence of  (a) drugs and  (b) drink in (i) England and Wales and (ii) each police force area in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Information on the number and percentage of offenders involved in violent incidents that were under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not available.
	However, the British Crime Survey (BCS) routinely collects information on the proportion of violent incidents in England and Wales, where the victim believed the offender(s) to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
	According to the latest BCS (2006-07), the offender was thought to be under the influence of alcohol in 46 per cent. of violent incidents, and under the influence of drugs in 17 per cent. of violent incidents (see table 1 for figures for all available years since 1997). The sample size of the BCS is not sufficient to provide such estimates by police force area.
	
		
			  Table 1: Percentage of violent incidents where offender/s were thought to be under the influence of drink or drugs, England and Wales 
			   1997  1999  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			  Under influence of drink 
			 Yes 42 40 47 44 50 48 44 46 
			 No 48 50 44 45 40 43 47 44 
			 Don't know 10 9 9 11 10 9 8 10 
			  
			  Unweighted base 946 1,052 1,340 1,455 1,465 1,529 1,567 1,658 
			  
			  Under influence of drugs 
			 Yes 18 18 21 20 19 18 23 17 
			 No 53 55 56 52 50 52 53 56 
			 Don't know 29 27 23 27 30 30 25 28 
			  
			  Unweighted base 946 1,052 1,340 1,455 1,465 1,529 1,567 1,658 
			  Notes: 1. Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding. 2. BCS violence in 1997, 1999, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005/06 includes common assault, wounding, robbery and snatch theft. 3. BCS violence in 2006-07 excludes snatch theft.

Crimes of Violence: Yorkshire and the Humber

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Haltemprice and Howden constituency in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 3 April 2008
	Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Woodhill Prison: Electronic Surveillance

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many conversations between staff of the Independent Police Complaints Commission and Babar Ahmed, which took place at Woodhill Prison, were recorded; under what authorisation each such recording took place; and at what level such authorisation was given in each case.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 31 March 2008
	I have asked the chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission to write to the right hon. Gentleman.

Written Questions

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will answer Question 182367, tabled by the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden on 22 January 2008, on identity cards; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply of 2 April 2008,  Official Report, column 610W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Rehabilitation

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detoxification centres have been established in each police force area in England and Wales for those detained by the police in a drunk and disorderly condition in the last four years.

Vernon Coaker: Four alcohol arrest referral pilots were established in October 2007 in Ealing, Cheshire, and the cities of Manchester and Liverpool. Under the pilots, those arrested for alcohol related offences, including drunk and disorderly behaviour in a public place, attend advice sessions about safer drinking with the aim of reducing offending and health harms. Those who are found to require treatment, including detoxification, may be referred to other locally available services.
	The pilots will be extended to up to 10 new areas in 2008-09.

Antisocial Behaviour

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions a respect squad has been used since Christmas 2007.

Vernon Coaker: The provision of expert advice and assistance in cases of antisocial behaviour is coordinated by the antisocial behaviour and crime prevention unit team at the Home office. It has had responsibility for the Respect Squad since the end of 2007 during which time no new cases have been allocated pending a decision about its future role. In the meantime the Home Office funds a website and phone line manned by experts providing advice to practitioners on difficult cases.

Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were recorded under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 in each year since 2002, broken down by offence; and what percentage of these offences  (a) resulted in court proceedings against suspected perpetrators,  (b) led to a conviction and  (c) resulted in a sanction detection.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not available. Offences under this legislation are recorded in the following offence classifications as appropriate:
	Wounding or other act endangering life;
	Other offences against the State and Public Order; or
	Disclosure, Obstruction, False and Misleading Statements
	These offences cannot be separately identified from other offences within those classifications. As a result, information on the percentage which resulted in court proceedings and convictions for those offences cannot be provided.

Arrests

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests were deemed to be unlawful in each year since 1995, broken down by police force area; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Arrests

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of arrests were found to be wrongful in each year since 1995, broken down by police force area; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Arrests

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of arrests which were later deemed to have been made following false allegations, in each year since 1995, broken down by police force area; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: No estimates have been made centrally.

Baluchistan Liberation Army

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if she will publish the evidence provided by the Pakistani authorities which was taken into account by the Government when deciding to proscribe the Baluchistan Liberation Army;
	(2)  what evidence formed the basis for the Government's decision to proscribe the Baluchistan Liberation Army;
	(3)  what criteria were applied in the decision-making process which led to the proscribing of the Baluchistan Liberation Army;
	(4)  what the reasons were for the timing of the decision to proscribe the Baluchistan Liberation Army in 2006.

Tony McNulty: In practice there are two stages to the Secretary of State's decision making process in determining whether to proscribe an organisation. Firstly, the Secretary of State must consider whether she believes the organisation is concerned in terrorism within the meaning of section 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Section 3 provides that an organisation is concerned in terrorism if it:
	(a) commits or participates in acts of terrorism;
	(b) prepares for terrorism;
	(c) promotes or encourages terrorism; or
	(d) is otherwise concerned in terrorism.
	If the outcome at the first stage of the decision making process is that the Secretary of State believes that the organisation is concerned in terrorism, she then has discretion as to whether or not to proscribe it. In exercising that discretion successive Secretaries of State have had regard to five factors in particular. They are:
	(a) The nature and scale of an organisation's activities;
	(b) The specific threat that it poses to the United Kingdom;
	(c) The specific threat that it poses to British nationals overseas;
	(d) The extent of the organisation's presence in the United Kingdom; and
	(e) The need to support other members of the international community in the global fight against terrorism.
	The Baluchistan Liberation Army was proscribed in 2006 because the Secretary of State believed the organisation to be concerned in terrorism and determined, as a matter of discretion, that it should be proscribed. More information about the Baluchistan Liberation Army's activities was listed in the explanatory memorandum accompanying the Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2006 (SI2006/2016), which added it to the list of proscribed organisations. These included nine bombings of railway stations in 2005 and the murder of Chinese engineers in February 2006.
	The Government do not comment on the nature and source of the evidence underpinning proscription decisions.

Burglary

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving bogus callers were committed in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Available recorded crime statistics on the number of distraction burglary offences at Basic Command Unit level, for the London region, are given in the following table.
	The offence of 'distraction burglary' was added to the series in April 2003. Prior to this, this type of offence would have been recorded under the 'burglary in a dwelling' classification and could not be separately identified.
	
		
			  Distraction burglary: Number of offences recorded in London region( 1) 
			  Police Force Area  Basic Command Unit  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Metropolitan Police Barking and Dagenham 165 152 155 
			 Metropolitan Police Barnet 148 110 158 
			 Metropolitan Police Bexley 41 80 77 
			 Metropolitan Police Brent 149 140 149 
			 Metropolitan Police Bromley 63 118 150 
			 Metropolitan Police Camden 121 71 109 
			 Metropolitan Police City of Westminster 79 47 74 
			 Metropolitan Police Croydon 65 102 170 
			 Metropolitan Police Ealing 124 113 190 
			 Metropolitan Police Enfield 127 101 168 
			 Metropolitan Police Greenwich 121 137 173 
			 Metropolitan Police Hackney 147 98 107 
			 Metropolitan Police Hammersmith and Fulham 62 74 118 
			 Metropolitan Police Haringey 107 90 129 
			 Metropolitan Police Harrow 63 59 58 
			 Metropolitan Police Havering 109 101 169 
			 Metropolitan Police Heathrow 0 0 0 
			 Metropolitan Police Hillingdon 121 84 123 
			 Metropolitan Police Hounslow 132 77 127 
			 Metropolitan Police Islington 85 101 112 
			 Metropolitan Police Kensington and Chelsea 49 35 50 
			 Metropolitan Police Kingston upon Thames 28 23 67 
			 Metropolitan Police Lambeth 60 88 133 
			 Metropolitan Police Lewisham 169 178 193 
			 Metropolitan Police Merton 53 68 81 
			 Metropolitan Police Newham 198 144 114 
			 Metropolitan Police Redbridge 123 105 162 
			 Metropolitan Police Richmond upon Thames 51 38 69 
			 Metropolitan Police Southwark 244 122 164 
			 Metropolitan Police Sutton 36 46 81 
			 Metropolitan Police Tower Hamlets 163 122 101 
			 Metropolitan Police Waltham Forest 149 128 175 
			 Metropolitan Police Wandsworth 107 96 176 
			  
			 City of London Police — 0 0 0 
			  
			 Total for London region BCUs — 3,459 3,048 4,082 
			 (1) This is comprised of the Metropoltan Police and the City of London Police.

Cannabis

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to curtail the supply of cannabis seeds available to buy via the internet.

Vernon Coaker: Cannabis seeds are not illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, although the unauthorised cultivation of cannabis seeds and any subsequent supply and possession of cannabis is unlawful. As I stated in the House on 3 April 2008, the availability of cannabis seeds on the internet is a concern. This matter is kept under regular review, as is any issue associated with the unlawful production of illegal drugs.

Cannabis: Cafes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a copy of her letter of March 27 2008 to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham on the cannabis cafe in Lancing.

Vernon Coaker: I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the House Library today.

Community Support Officers: Powers

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers have been delegated to police community support officers in each police force area.

Tony McNulty: The list of powers designated to police community support officers in each force area during 2006-07 is available at:
	http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-and-publications/publication/community-policing/PCSOs_Audit_Table _May_2007_1.pdf
	Similar information for 2007-08 is currently being compiled. This will be published on the Home Office, Police Community Support Officers webpage in May 2008.

Crime: Cambridgeshire

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2008,  Official Report, column 607W, on crime: Cambridgeshire, how many  (a) police officers and  (b) police officers per 1,000 of the population there were in each of the areas listed in each year since 1997; and what percentage of time was spent by police officers on (i) frontline policing and (ii) patrolling in each of the areas in each of those years.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) The available data are given in Table 1.
	 (b) The available data are given in Table 2.
	(i) The information requested has only been collected since 2003-04, and the available data are given in Table 3.
	(ii) The information requested for the time spent by each force on patrol is not available as these data are collected by forces for internal management purposes only.
	
		
			  Table 1: Police Officer Strength( 1)  (FTE)( 2)  by Police Force 1997 to 2007, as at 31 March each year 
			  Police Force  1997( 3)  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003( 3)  2004( 3)  2005( 3)  2006( 3)  20 07( 3) 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,302 1,291 1,274 1,237 1,296 1,362 1,384 1,400 1,402 1,430 1,381 
			 Cumbria 1,144 1,164 1,126 1,084 1,048 1,100 1,140 1,222 1,232 1,230 1,244 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,865 2,962 2,887 2,841 2,934 3,053 3,202 3,283 3,369 3,493 3,476 
			 Durham 1,461 1,515 1,568 1,558 1,595 1,614 1,651 1,685 1,718 1,699 1,683 
			 Gloucestershire 1,133 1,104 1,104 1,114 1,173 1,183 1,227 1,284 1,291 1,289 1,303 
			 Lincolnshire 1,196 1,191 1,140 1,115 1,202 1,198 1,221 1,228 1,221 1,213 1,221 
			 Norfolk 1,432 1,430 1,381 1,381 1,420 1,468 1,499 1,510 1,544 1,557 1,565 
			 North Yorkshire 1,338 1,367 1,337 1,283 1,305 1,417 1,444 1,529 1,543 1,636 1,654 
			 West Mercia 2,040 2,010 2,025 1,887 1,951 2,018 2,256 2,355 2,367 2,351 2,400 
			 Wiltshire 1,154 1,156 1,151 1,118 1,120 1,157 1,158 1,217 1,222 1,219 1,204 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,005 1,002 1,026 1,040 1,055 1,132 1,149 1,160 1,174 1,182 1,177 
			 North Wales 1,369 1,396 1,391 1,403 1,444 1,506 1,539 1,603 1,652 1,617 1,591 
			 (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.  (2) Full-time equivalent excludes those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave  (3) Comparable strength (excludes those on career breaks, or maternity/paternity leave). The Police Numbers Task Force (2001) recommended that a clear presentation was made of the numbers of staff employed by police forces including those seconded into the force and those on any type of long or short term absence. These new calculations were first used in 2003, and are not comparable with data prior to March 2003. The data from 2003 onwards used here are termed comparable because they have been calculated on the old basis to allow comparison. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Police Officers( 1)  (FTE)( 2)  per 100,000 of the population for by police force, as at 31 March 1997 to 31 March 2007 
			   1997( 3)  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003( 3)  2004( 3)  2005( 3)  2006( 3)  20 07( 3) 
			 Cambridgeshire 188 184 179 172 179 187 196 197 196 196 187 
			 Cumbria 233 237 229 220 213 224 237 254 256 256 255 
			 Devon and Cornwall 186 192 186 182 187 192 204 208 219 219 216 
			 Durham 240 249 258 256 263 266 281 288 288 288 285 
			 Gloucestershire 205 198 197 200 209 209 219 229 228 228 229 
			 Lincolnshire 196 193 184 179 191 189 191 189 183 183 183 
			 Norfolk 185 184 176 175 178 183 189 190 193 193 191 
			 North Yorkshire 183 186 181 173 175 188 193 203 216 216 217 
			 West Mercia 183 180 180 166 171 176 196 202 202 202 205 
			 Wiltshire 195 195 192 185 184 189 190 198 196 196 192 
			 Dyfed-Powys 212 210 215 217 219 234 237 236 237 237 236 
			 North Wales 208 213 212 213 220 228 234 243 242 242 238 
			 (1). This table is based on full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.  (2). Figures up to 31 March 2002 exclude staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. The figures for 31 March 2003 onwards figures include those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Percentage of police officer time spent on frontline policing duties, from 2003-04 to 2006-07( 1) 
			  Police Force  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Cambridgeshire 61.1 60.3 70.7 63.0 
			 Cumbria 59.9 61.0 59.1 61.9 
			 Devon and Cornwall 67.1 64.0 63.1 60.8 
			 Durham 60.7 59.0 59.5 57.8 
			 Gloucestershire 64.6 68.1 66.5 67.8 
			 Lincolnshire 55.3 64.4 66.5 63.8 
			 Norfolk 61.0 62.9 66.8 65.9 
			 North Yorkshire 63.0 64.1 66.7 61.1 
			 West Mercia 63.6 62.8 64.5 64.3 
			 Wiltshire 62.3 63.3 63.8 66.7 
			 Dyfed-Powys 65.1 64.1 63.3 62.2 
			 North Wales 63.9 63.4 61.4 63.9 
			 (1) Data are available from 2003-04 onwards only.

Crime: North Yorkshire

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of crime in North Yorkshire was cleared up in each year since 1987.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information is given in the following tables.
	Offences which are 'cleared up' are referred to as detections.
	
		
			  Recorded crime statistics for North Yorkshire police force, 1987 to 2006-07 
			  Table A: Detection rates for total crime in North Yorkshire police force—1987 to 1997 
			   Detection rate (%) 
			 1987 34 
			 1988 39 
			 1989 35 
			 1990 40 
			 1991 36 
			 1992 33 
			 1993 30 
			 1994 25 
			 1995 23 
			 1996 25 
			 1997 26 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Detection rates for total crime in North Yorkshire police force—1998-99 to 2001-02( 1,2) 
			   Detection rate (%) 
			 1997-98 26 
			 1998-99 33 
			 1999-2000 31 
			 2000-01 30 
			 2001-02 26 
			 (1) The offence coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 1998-99. This will have had an effect on the number of detections recorded. Figures from that date are not comparable with those for 1997. (2) The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS). These rates are not directly comparable with those for later years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table C: Detection rates for total crime in North Yorkshire police force—2002-03 to 2006-07( 1,2) 
			   Detection rate (%) 
			 2002-03 26 
			 2003-04 28 
			 2004-05 35 
			 2005-06 35 
			 2006-07 33 
			 (1) The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) in April 2002. These rates are not directly comparable with those for earlier years. (2) It should be noted that non-sanction detections that contribute to the percentage change in detection rates have fallen in recent years reflecting a significant shift by many police forces away from recording detections of crime where no further action is taken. For this reason overall detections rates over time are not fully comparable. From 1 April 2007 the rules governing recording of non-sanction detections were revised to reduce the scope within which they can be claimed to a very limited set of circumstances.

Crime: Young People

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2007,  Official Report, column 677W, on crime: young people, 
	(1)  whether any  (a) handouts and  (b) powerpoint presentations were prepared for this meeting;
	(2)  what date has been fixed for the follow-up seminar;
	(3)  if she will list the invitees for the follow-up seminar;
	(4)  if she will place a copy in the Library of the recommendations;
	(5)  whether any  (a) agenda or  (b) minutes was produced at the seminar.

Vernon Coaker: The Youth Crime Seminar on 8 November 2007 was held as a series of events on youth crime, as part of the preparation on the youth crime action plan for publication summer 2008. The action plan aims to deliver results across youth crime prevention, youth justice as well as cross cutting themes on youth victimisation and youth violence. There were no formal minutes produced—instead, officials who were present took note of the points raised so that they could be fed into discussion during the development of the Youth Crime Action Plan. The seminar was followed up by the key Departments contacting those who attended as part of the work to get views and inputs into the Youth Crime Action Plan. A future date and attendees list for any forthcoming seminar has not yet been confirmed.

Crimes of Violence

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Rochford and Southend East constituency in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in  (a) Dudley South and  (b) Plymouth Sutton constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Beckenham

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving violence against a person were recorded in Beckenham constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Bournemouth

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving violence against the person were recorded in Bournemouth East constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Buckinghamshire

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Buckingham constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Buckinghamshire

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Chesham and Amersham constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: East Sussex

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving violence against a person were recorded in  (a) Hastings and Rye and  (b) Bexhill and Battle constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Essex

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving violence against the person were recorded in Braintree constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Gloucestershire

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent crimes against the person were committed in each constituency in Gloucestershire in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Havant

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving violence against a person were recorded in Havant constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Huntingdon

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving violence against the person were recorded in Huntingdon constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Lincolnshire

Peter Tapsell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Lough and Horncastle constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Newark

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Newark constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: North East

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in  (a) Beverley and Holderness,  (b) Brigg and Goole and  (c) Cleethorpes constituency in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: North Yorkshire

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving violence against the person were recorded in Skipton and Ripon constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: St. Albans

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving violence against the person were recorded in St. Albans constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Suffolk

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in West Suffolk constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Surrey

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving violence against the person were recorded in Esher and Walton constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Wales

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in the (a) Vale of Clwyd,  (b) Delyn,  (c) Alyn and Deeside,  (d) Wrexham,  (e) Clwyd South,  (f) Montgomeryshire,  (g) Brecon and Radnorshire,  (h) Ceredigion,  (i) Carmarthen East and Dinefwr,  (j) Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire,  (k) Bridgend,  (l) Aberavon,  (m) Torfaen,  (n) Vale of Glamorgan,  (o) Cardiff North,  (p) Llanelli,  (q) Cardiff Central,  (r) Swansea East,  (s) Swansea West,  (t) Cardiff South and Penarth,  (u) Gower,  (v) Neath,  (w) Rhondda,  (x) Islwyn,  (y) Cynon Valley,  (z) Cardiff West,  (aa) Newport East,  (bb) Newport West,  (cc) Caerphilly,  (dd) Ogmore,  (ee) Blaenau Gwent,  (ff) Pontypridd and  (gg) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Wales

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in  (a) Clwyd West,  (b) Ynys Mon,  (c) Caernarfon,  (d) Meirionydd Nant Conwy and  (e) Conwy constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in each police authority area in Wales in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years, for the four police force areas in Wales, broken down by Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Copies of the statistics table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Licensed Premises

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) incidents of violence against the person and  (b) police emergency call-outs resulting from incidents occurring (i) on and (ii) in the vicinity of premises licensed to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises under the Licensing Act 1964 there were in each of the last five years in each police force area; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Information on incidents of violence against the person and police emergency call-outs resulting from incidents occurring on or near licensed premises is not held by the Ministry of Justice.

Crimes of Violence: Licensed Premises

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent offences were committed in connection with licensed premises in each police area in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Information on the number of violent offences committed in connection with licensed premises is not held by the Ministry of Justice.

Criminal Records Bureau: Standards

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what performance standards she has set for the operation by Capita of the Criminal Records Bureau's information systems; and what arrangements she has made to ensure that errors in records held on the Police National Computer and supplied to employers by the Criminal Records Agency can be corrected.

Meg Hillier: The disclosure service operates as a contract between the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Capita Business Services based upon a public private partnership agreement. A contract schedule sets out the service levels for Capita to meet, which contains performance measures, including data quality. However, Capita are not responsible for the accuracy of information held on the Police National Computer (PNC). This is the responsibility of the police.
	The CRB operates a process that enables an individual to challenge the information provided on a disclosure. In addressing such a dispute, the CRB will contact the relevant police force(s) to advise them of the issues raised by the applicant. Should the force confirm that the information originally held on PNC is incorrect, the CRB will issue an amended disclosure to the applicant and the employer/registered body free of charge.

Cycling: Road Traffic Offences

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many fixed penalties were issued to cyclists for the offence of  (a) carrying another person and  (b) cycling on pavements, broken down by police force area in each of the last three years; and how many of the penalties were issued to cyclists aged over 14 years;
	(2)  how many on-the-spot fines for cycling on the pavement were issued by each police force in each year since the scheme was introduced.

Vernon Coaker: Information is not collected centrally on the number of fixed penalty notices issued for cycling offences.

Departmental Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2008,  Official Report, column 611W, on departmental correspondence, if she will make it her policy that Ministers in her Department sign all replies to letters from hon. Members addressed to a Minister.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 20 March 2008
	There are no plans to do so.

Detention Centres: Children

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the Children's Commissioner for England on children held in immigration removal centres.

Liam Byrne: I meet with the Children's Commissioner for England frequently, and I find his advice invaluable, especially around issues raised about the detention of children in immigration removal centres.
	In addition, officials in the UK Border Agency also maintain a good working relationship with the Commissioner's office. At their regular meetings issues relating to the detention of children are often discussed.

Detention Centres: Children

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what medical care and education services are provided to children in immigration removal centres.

Liam Byrne: All immigration removal centres provide detainees, children and adults, with free, on-site health care services that are broadly equivalent to those national health service (NHS) general practitioners provide in the community. Detainees also have ready access to NHS secondary and tertiary health services, including paediatric services.
	Two full-time qualified teachers provide educational classes for school age children at Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre, which is the main centre for holding families with children. The education provision at Yarl's Wood is based on the national curriculum wherever possible and is delivered to three age-based groups. Children are assessed to determine literacy, numeracy and ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) skill levels. Tuition covers core areas of English, numeracy, IT, art and craft and PE.
	Families with children may also be detained at Tinsley and Dungavel House immigration removal centres, where programmes of structured activities are provided for children. Families with children usually remain at these centres for no longer than 72 hours. If detention continues beyond three days, they are normally transferred to Yarl's Wood.

Domestic Violence: Immigrants

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of women with insecure immigration status left destitute after leaving a violent relationship in the latest period for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: Figures for the number of women with insecure immigration status left destitute after leaving a violent relationship are not available, as these data are not routinely collected by the Home Office.

Domestic Violence: Immigrants

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding the Government has given to local authorities to support women with insecure immigration status trying to flee violence and access refuge in the latest period for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: The Government have not provided direct funding to local authorities to support women with insecure immigration status who are victims of domestic violence.
	However, between 2003-04 and 2005-06 the Home Office provided a total of 145,000 to the Women's Aid Federation of England to bolster its Last Resort Fund to support victims of domestic violence with no recourse to public funds.
	We will shortly be announcing details of a new scheme where victims of domestic violence with no recourse to public funds may be eligible to receive support for their housing and living costs. Under the new scheme victims of domestic violence whose applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain are successful may qualify for a contribution towards these costs.

Domestic Violence: Immigration

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial support is available to spouses and their dependants who are seeking leave to remain on basis of the domestic violence rule.

Vernon Coaker: Victims of domestic violence who apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) under the domestic violence rule may qualify for assistance under specific legislation and can also access housing related support services funded by the Supporting People Grant.
	In February 2006 the Home Office wrote to all local authorities in England, outlining the position of women who have no recourse to public funds and how local authorities can help and support these women within existing legislation, for example, under the Children Act 1989, the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 and the Local Government Act 2000.
	We will shortly be announcing details of a new scheme where victims of domestic violence with no recourse to public funds may be eligible to receive support for their housing and living costs. Under the new scheme victims of domestic violence whose applications for (ILR) are successful may qualify for a contribution towards these costs.

Domestic Violence: Victim Support Schemes

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding was provided to organisations providing support for victims of domestic violence in each year since 2001, broken down by organisation.

Vernon Coaker: The Government have funded a range of organisations which provide direct support to victims of domestic violence. The following table lists them:
	
		
			  Home Office Organisational Grant Funding for Domestic Violence 
			  Organisation  Amount () 
			  2007-08  
			 Broken Rainbow Helpline 60,000 
			 Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence 15,000 
			 IMKAAN 8,000 
			 Mens Health Forum 37,300 
			 Relate 47,900 
			 Respect 240,000 
			 Women's Aid 57,000 
			 Women's Aid/Refuge 500,000 
			 Total 965,200 
			   
			  2006-07  
			 Broken Rainbow Helpline 120,000 
			 Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence 22,500 
			 Men's Advice Line 57,200 
			 Phones for Safety 30,000 
			 Respect 180,000 
			 Women's Aid/Refuge 250,000 
			 Total 659,700 
			   
			  2005-06  
			 Broken Rainbow Helpline 120,000 
			 Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence 4,000 
			 Men's Advice Line 57,200 
			 Phones for Safety 30,000 
			 Respect 120,000 
			 Women's Aid 142,000 
			 Women's AidLast Resort 25,000 
			 Women's Aid/Refuge 66,420 
			 Total 564,620 
			   
			  2004-05  
			 Broken Rainbow Helpline 120,000 
			 Various Violence Against Women Projects 6,000,000 
			 Women's Aid/Refuge 60,000 
			 Total 6,180,000 
			   
			  2000-03  
			 Various Violence Against Women Projects 8,055,000 
			 Total 8,055,000

Domestic Violence: Victim Support Schemes

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what telephone hotlines supported by her Department are available to support and advise victims of domestic violence; how these hotlines are publicised; and what funding from the public purse each organisation has received since 2001.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office provides funds to a matrix of national helplines including: the National 24 Hour Domestic Violence Helpline which was launched in December 2003; the Men's Advice Line and Enquiries (MALE); and Broken Rainbow, a service for victims of domestic violence within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Strategic funding for these helplines began in 2003-04 so figures prior to this are not available.
	In relation to non-convicted perpetrators, the Home Office has also funded the RESPECT phoneline which offers advice to perpetrators.
	The victim-focused helplines were publicised in the two recent ENOUGH Campaigns, undertaken in 2006 and 2007, which included print and radio media advertising within the specialist domestic violence court areas.
	The funding provided to the helplines from 2003-04 is as follows.
	
		
			  National Domestic Violence Helpline 
			   Funding () 
			 2007-08 500,000 
			 2006-07 200,000 
			 2005-06 66,420 
			 2003-04 to 2005-06 (1)1.4 million 
			 2003-04 60,000 
			 (1 )From the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. 
		
	
	
		
			  Men's Advice Line and Enquiries (MALE): 
			   Funding (000) 
			 2007-08 120 
			 2006-07 57 
			 2005-06 57.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Broken Rainbow 
			   Funding (000) 
			 2007-08 60 
			 2006-07 120 
			 2005-06 120 
			 2004-05 120 
			 2003-04 120 
		
	
	
		
			  RESPECT Phoneline 
			   Funding (000) 
			 2007-08 120 
			 2006-07 120 
			 2005-06 120 
			 2004-05 50 
		
	
	Since 2005-06, the Home Office has also contributed to the running costs of the joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office/Home Office unit which provides the Forced Marriage Helpline.
	
		
			  Forced Marriage Unit 
			   Funding (000) 
			 2007-08 100 
			 2006-07 100 
			 2005-06 100

Domestic Violence: Victim Support Schemes

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding was provided to  (a) the National Domestic Helpline,  (b) the Women's Aid and  (c) the Victim Supportline in each year since 2001.

Vernon Coaker: Figures for funding for the National Domestic Violence Helpline from 2001-03 are not available as it was first established as a single service in December 2003. 1.4 million was provided by the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) for the next three years. In 2005-06, responsibility for the helpline transferred to the Home Office as part of the National Delivery Plan for Domestic Violence and 60,000 was provided in addition to 100,000 which was transferred from ODPM. In 2006-07 the Home Office provided 250,000 and this has now increased to 500,000 in 2007-08.
	Figures for the funding for Women's Aid prior to 2003 are not available, but since 2003 they have been given the following funding:
	
		
			
			 2007-08 37,000 
			 2006-07 37,000 
			 2005-06 115,000 
			 2004-05 115,000 
			 2003-04 190,000 
		
	
	Since 2001, Victim Support has allocated 200,000 of its annual grant in aid from the Office for Criminal Justice Reform to the running of its Victim Supportline.

Driving Offences: Mobile Phones

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers were  (a) stopped by police,  (b) charged,  (c) convicted,  (d) fined and  (e) cautioned for driving while using a mobile phone in each police force area in each year since the ban came into force.

Vernon Coaker: Information held on the court proceedings database held by the Ministry of Justice from 2003 to 2005 (latest available) is provided in the table. As the majority of 'use of hand held mobile phone while driving' offences are dealt with by the issue of a fixed penalty notice these are also included. 2006 data will be available later this year.
	
		
			  Written warnings( 1) , fixed penalty notices issued( 2)  and findings of guilt at the magistrates court( 3)  for the offence of use of hand held mobile phone while driving( 4)  by police force area, England and Wales, 2003-05 
			  Number of offences 
			   2003 
			  Police force area  Written wa rn ings  Fixed penalty notices issued  Findings of guilt  Court imposed fines total 
			 Avon and Somerset - - - - 
			 Bedfordshire - 10 1 1 
			 Cambridgeshire - - - - 
			 Cheshire 2 - - - 
			 Cleveland - 13 - - 
			 Cumbria - 13 - - 
			 Derbyshire - 13 - - 
			 Devon and Cornwall - 345 - - 
			 Dorset - - - - 
			 Durham - - - - 
			 Essex - - - - 
			 Gloucestershire - 147 - - 
			 Greater Manchester - - - - 
			 Hampshire - 54 - - 
			 Hertfordshire - - - - 
			 Humberside - - - - 
			 Kent 5 15 - - 
			 Lancashire - 34 - - 
			 Leicestershire - 17 - - 
			 Lincolnshire - 7 - - 
			 London. City of - 45 - - 
			 Merseyside - - - - 
			 Metropolitan Police - 681 - - 
			 Norfolk - 17 - - 
			 Northamptonshire - 1 - - 
			 Northumbria 3 56 - - 
			 North Yorkshire - 5 - - 
			 Nottinghamshire - - - - 
			 South Yorkshire - 28 - - 
			 Staffordshire - 12 - - 
			 Suffolk - 42 - - 
			 Surrey - 164 - - 
			 Sussex - - - - 
			 Thames Valley - 25 - - 
			 Warwickshire 5 - - - 
			 West Mercia - - - - 
			 West Midlands - 144 - - 
			 West Yorkshire - - - - 
			 Wiltshire - - - - 
			 Dyfed Powys - - - - 
			 Gwent - - - - 
			 North Wales - - - - 
			 South Wales - - - - 
			 England and Wales 15 1,888 1 1 
		
	
	
		
			   2004 
			  Police force area  Written war n ings  Fixed penalty notices issued  Findings of guilt  Court imposed fines total 
			 Avon and Somerset 3 1,902 19 18 
			 Bedfordshire - 579 5 5 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 219 6 6 
			 Cheshire - 2,689 1 1 
			 Cleveland 11 1,066 3 3 
			 Cumbria 1 528 24 23 
			 Derbyshire - 978 16 15 
			 Devon and Cornwall - 796 17 16 
			 Dorset - 521 - - 
			 Durham - 504 1 1 
			 Essex - 2,431 25 25 
			 Gloucestershire - 632 1 1 
			 Greater Manchester 2 8,166 65 64 
			 Hampshire - 2,032 15 15 
			 Hertfordshire 1 2.526 6 6 
			 Humberside - 381 4 4 
			 Kent - 1,707 - - 
			 Lancashire - 1,719 16 15 
			 Leicestershire - 759 9 8 
			 Lincolnshire - 1,529 5 5 
			 London. City of - 137 5 5 
			 Merseyside 7 1,836 20 10 
			 Metropolitan Police - 13,581 124 116 
			 Norfolk - 887 15 13 
			 Northamptonshire - 297 - - 
			 Northumbria 124 1,271 29 26 
			 North Yorkshire 1 720 18 16 
			 Nottinghamshire - 653 7 6 
			 South Yorkshire - 1,978 12 11 
			 Staffordshire - 264 10 9 
			 Suffolk 13 978 4 4 
			 Surrey 11 2,213 7 7 
			 Sussex - 546 1 1 
			 Thames Valley 2 3,716 21 20 
			 Warwickshire 40 621 7 7 
			 West Mercia - 2,200 15 14 
			 West Midlands - 3,864 52 46 
			 West Yorkshire - 2,368 9 9 
			 Wiltshire - 700 19 18 
			 Dyfed Powys - 363 13 13 
			 Gwent - 517 - - 
			 North Wales 51 999 3 3 
			 South Wales 198 1,603 12 11 
			 England and Wales 466 73,976 641 596 
		
	
	
		
			   2005 
			  Police force area  Written war ni ngs  Fixed penalty notices issued  Findings of guilt  Court imposed fines total 
			 Avon and Somerset 1 2,502 39 38 
			 Bedfordshire 157 944 13 13 
			 Cambridgeshire - 1,347 19 19 
			 Cheshire - 2.891 14 14 
			 Cleveland 61 1,955 7 6 
			 Cumbria 1 1,021 35 34 
			 Derbyshire - 1,501 49 48 
			 Devon and Cornwall - 1,482 25 24 
			 Dorset - 657 3 1 
			 Durham - 963 2 2 
			 Essex - 4,369 53 46 
			 Gloucestershire - 1,208 4 4 
			 Greater Manchester 5 12,904 136 124 
			 Hampshire - 4,078 34 33 
			 Hertfordshire 2 3,923 64 61 
			 Humberside 5 1,202 22 21 
			 Kent 7 4,829 - - 
			 Lancashire - 3,079 46 39 
			 Leicestershire - 254 26 20 
			 Lincolnshire - 2.514 12 11 
			 London. City of - 1,647 12 12 
			 Merseyside - 5,684 23 14 
			 Metropolitan Police - 18.035 545 496 
			 Norfolk - 904 17 17 
			 Northamptonshire - 971 - - 
			 Northumbria 418 2,409 20 20 
			 North Yorkshire - 1,289 30 29 
			 Nottinghamshire - 1,637 24 18 
			 South Yorkshire 1 3,978 21 17 
			 Staffordshire - 2,346 21 19 
			 Suffolk - 1,707 17 17 
			 Surrey - 3,575 82 82 
			 Sussex - 1.105 2 1 
			 Thames Valley 1 7,111 112 106 
			 Warwickshire 34 918 13 8 
			 West Mercia - 5,246 50 48 
			 West Midlands - 5,065 88 79 
			 West Yorkshire - 4,272 38 36 
			 Wiltshire - 1.226 22 21 
			 Dyfed Powys - 628 13 13 
			 Gwent - 938 3 3 
			 North Wales - 424 13 12 
			 South Wales 172 2,030 20 20 
			 England and Wales 865 126,768 1,789 1,646 
			 - = Nil (1) Covers tickets paid where there is no further action. (2) May include cases where a fixed penalty notice was originally issued but not paid and subsequently referred to court. (3) Offences under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, Regulations 110 (1), 110 (2) and 110 (3). Introduced 1 December 2003.  Notes: 1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Drugs: Misuse

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested for bringing drugs into the UK from  (a) Jamaica,  (b) Trinidad and Tobago,  (c) Nigeria,  (d) Ghana and  (e) elsewhere in the world in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 31 March 2008
	I understand that the Ministry of Justice provides data on persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, by age group, gender, ethnicity, and main offence group, i.e. robbery, burglary, drugs offences etc. From data reported centrally they are not able to identify specific offences from within the main offence groups nor the circumstances behind an arrest.

Entry Clearances: Deobandi Sect

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to ban members of the Deobandi sect from entering the United Kingdom.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 25 February 2008
	 Deobandism is a denomination within Islam. Deobandi communities make up a significant minority of the Muslim population in the United Kingdom.
	The Home Secretary has the power to exclude individuals from the UK where she judges, on a case-by-case basis, that it is right to do so. There are no plans to target these powers against any denominational group within Islam.

Firearms

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many replica firearms were confiscated in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

Vernon Coaker: The requested statistics are not collected centrally.

Fixed Penalties

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for which offences fixed penalty notices may be imposed; and what guidance has been issued by her Department on circumstances in which such notices may be imposed.

Vernon Coaker: Fixed penalties are currently available for over 200 different road traffic offences.
	The Home Office issued revised Guidance on the Operation of the Fixed Penalty System for Offences in Respect of a Vehicle in April 2006.
	This is available on the Home Office website at the following link:
	http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-and-publications/publication/operational-policing/HO_00395_GFinalVersion.pdf.
	A detailed list of offences for which a fixed notice may be issued is included at Annex A of the guidance.

Forced Marriage: Victim Support Schemes

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources her Department has allocated to the support of victims of forced marriage for 2008-09; and what plans she has for funding in the next two financial years.

Vernon Coaker: During 2008-09 the Home Office will provide 121,100 to support the operation and running of the joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU). This is an increase of 71,100 on previous years' funding. In addition the Home Office will also provide funding for the series of regional events focused on so-called 'honour' based violence planned to take place between May and July.
	Funding for the FMU will continue over next two financial years and funding will also be identified to support other initiatives under our national work programme to tackle honour based violence.

Foreign Workers: Domestic Service

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those who were granted visas as migrant domestic workers applied to change their employers after they arrived in the UK in each of the last three years.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 2 April 2008
	In 2005 the UK Border Agency received 228 notifications of overseas domestic workers (ODWs) changing employer. In 2006 we received 126 notifications and in 2007 we received 289.

Forensic Science: Procurement

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice her Department has given to police forces and police authorities on the procurement of forensic science services.

Meg Hillier: holding answer 2 April 2008
	The procurement of forensic services is a matter for individual police forces. The National Policing Improvement Agency is, however, taking forward work to reform the procurement practices for forensic analysis services within the police service to assist forces.

Forensic Science: Registration

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on the compulsory registration of forensic science practitioners; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: Mandatory registration with the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners was recommended in the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology Report Forensic Science on Trial (see recommendation 43 at paragraph 139), published 29 March 2005. The response of Her Majesty's Government to that recommendation was as follows:
	It would not be appropriate for the Government to mandate registration with a private organisation. The criminal justice system must have access to appropriate expert testimony to ensure it reaches the correct decision. The use of a mandatory registration scheme would prevent appropriate experts from giving testimony in a number of circumstances, for example where the required expert does not normally work within the forensic arena and is therefore not registered. Another example might be that the required expert may work within the forensic arena but, perhaps due to working in research and development, does not carry out sufficient casework to be registered. The required expert may not work within the UK, or expertise may be required in a subject which rarely comes before the court. It therefore seems more sensible to have a scheme whereby the registration is voluntary. Where someone seeks to appear as an expert witness in an area where registration is available but they are not registered, this will highlight to the judge the need to consider carefully whether their testimony should be admitted and, if so, on what basis.
	My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, continues to endorse this view and has recently appointed Mr Andrew Rennison as the Forensic Science Regulator. The Regulator will provide advice on issues surrounding individual competence for forensic science practitionersincluding registration. The Government will review the position in due course.

Genetics: Databases

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make a statement on retention of DNA profiles collected by the police from individuals.

Meg Hillier: The taking and retention of DNA samples are subject to the provisions contained in Part V of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984. PACE provides that samples may be retained for persons who have been arrested and detained at the police station for a recordable offence; and that profiles taken from these samples and placed on the database may be subject to speculative search. We consider that is a proportionate and effective threshold to help eliminate the innocent during the course of an investigation as well contributing to the detection and conviction of the guilty.

Homicide: Mentally Ill

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homicides were committed by patients with mental illness in each of the last 10 years.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information is not collected centrally by either the Home Office or Ministry of Justice.

Immigration: Children

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she gives to the UK's responsibilities under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in her determination of immigration policy.

Liam Byrne: The Home Secretary takes the UK's responsibilities towards safeguarding the rights of all children very seriously. The Government have fully and actively supported the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child since the UK became a signatory in 1991. UK domestic law represents a well-developed framework based upon the importance of the welfare of the child. The Home Secretary announced on 14 January our intention to review the UK's immigration based reservation on the Convention, which is being carried out in the light of developments in child safeguarding policy and practice over recent years and the Government's intention to ratify Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Human Trafficking later this year.

Intelligence Services: Public Speaking

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, column 73W, on MI5, if she will instigate a practice of clearing the  (a) timing and  (b) content of speeches to be made by the Director General of the Security Service before delivery.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 2 April 2008
	My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, sees no reason to make changes to the arrangements outlined in the earlier answer.

Internet: Crime

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of internet-related crime affecting the UK which originates in Nigeria.

Vernon Coaker: Due to the nature of the internet, it is impossible to give an accurate assessment of how much internet-related crime originates in a particular country. In the main, internet-related crime is facilitated by bogus websites and software and law enforcement experience is that most activity takes place in the United States and Eastern Europe.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British police officers are seconded to  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; what their expected tour of duty is; and what arrangements have been made to cover their operational duties in the UK during their absence overseas.

Tony McNulty: There are currently nine serving and six retired UK civilian police officers seconded to Iraq and nine serving and one retired UK civilian police officers seconded to Afghanistan, where they are working in advisory, mentoring and training capacities. The serving officers are from forces in England and Wales, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Ministry of Defence police. The length of their deployments varies from 12 to 18 months.
	All the serving officers are volunteers who have gone to Iraq and Afghanistan with the consent of their chief constables, who will have been satisfied that their own operational requirements can be fully met during the officers' absence before agreeing to release them for overseas service.

Metropolitan Police

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what guidance she has issued on Trusted Partners consulted by the Metropolitan Police Service National Community Tension Team;
	(2)  what checks are made by the relevant authorities on potential links between Trusted Partners and foreign governments; and what risk assessment is made in each case in relation to the sharing of confidential information;
	(3)  in relation to the Trusted Partner consulted in advance of the attempted arrest of General Almog in September 2005, what investigation has been conducted into the potential communication of information to Israeli diplomats by that Trusted Partner;
	(4)  whether  (a) her Department and  (b) the Metropolitan Police have obtained assurances from the Israeli authorities on the co-operation of armed Israeli air marshals with UK police officers in the lawful execution of their duty on aircraft on British soil;
	(5)  pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2357W, on Israel, whether representations were made by  (a) her Department and  (b) the Metropolitan Police to the Israeli authorities following the attempted arrest of General Almog in September 2005 on the denial of police access to the El Al aeroplane at Heathrow Airport.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office has not made any representations on the issues raised. The operational issues surrounding events in September 2005, including whether any consultation with members of the community or community representatives took place, are matters for the police.

Metropolitan Police: Manpower

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the rate of Metropolitan Police officer abstractions was from each London borough for  (a) counter-terrorism,  (b) special operations and  (c) public order event policing work in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office does not hold any information centrally on the number of Metropolitan Police officer abstractions from  (a) counter-terrorism,  (b) special operations and  (c) public order event policing work. Such data could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Metropolitan Police: Stop and Search

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many searches of  (a) persons and  (b) vehicles under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 were carried out by each Metropolitan Police division in each of the last five years; and how many arrests were made as a result in each division for (i) possession of offensive weapons and (ii) other offences.

Vernon Coaker: Data collected centrally, by the Ministry of Justice, under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 are available at police force area level only. Information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Searches of persons and vehicles( 1)  separately under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and resultant arrests, carried out by the Metropolitan police force, 2001-02 to 2005-06 (latest available) 
			Persons only  Vehicles only( 1) 
			 Resultant arrests:   Resultant arrests: 
			  Period  Total searches  Searched  For offensive weapons  For other reasons  Searched  For offensive weapons  For other reasons 
			 2001-02 6,065 6,000 89 144 65   
			 2002-03 8,606 8,489 88 338 117   
			 2003-04 4,359 4,348 29 122 11   
			 2004-05 3,607 3,606 23 111 1   
			 2005-06 5,584 5,581 50 149 3   
			 (1) Searches may be conducted on vehicles only, occupants only or both may be searched. Where a vehicle and driver occupier are searched simultaneously the search is recorded against the driver (occupant). Any other passengers searched are recorded as occupants. Data given in the table are where a 'vehicle only' has been searched.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when these data are used.  Source: Stops/Searches collection held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

Mugging: Greater London

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) street robberies and  (b) sanction detections for street robberies there were in each London borough in each of the last 10 years.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not available centrally. It is not possible to identify the location of offences of robbery from the recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office.

National e-Crime Unit

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the National e-Crime Unit to be launched.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 31 March 2008
	 The Government have received a business case from ACPO regarding the possible creation of a national electronic crime unit. The Government are considering the possible options for tackling this issue, and will be arranging a meeting with law enforcement agencies in the near future.

National e-Crime Unit: Finance

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the National e-Crime Unit will be partly funded by the private sector; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 31 March 2008
	 The Government have received a business case from ACPO regarding the possible creation of a national electronic crime unit. The proposal is based on funding from central Government, the private sector and the European Union. The Government are considering the possible options for tackling this issue, and will be arranging a meeting with a number of law enforcement agencies in the near future.

National Identity Register

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) cross checks and ( b) linkages there will be between individual information held on the National Identity Register database and other Government computer systems.

Meg Hillier: In order to maintain a necessarily high level of security, the National Identity Register will not be directly linked to any other Government computer system. In addition, the Identity Cards Act 2006 strictly limits the data that may be held on the register and the records will be created from information provided by the applicant not simply from existing Government data.
	Cross checks will be performed on every application against various other information systems in order to establish an identity is genuine and belongs to the person claiming the identity, however no linkages will be created. Verification checks against the register will provide a secure and reliable means for proving identity and organisations will be able to verify identity information against the register following an accreditation process. However, no third party organisation will have direct access to the information on the National Identity Register and any request for the verification or provision of data will be made to the Identity and Passport Service in line with the provisions of the Identity Cards Act 2006 and the Data Protection Act 1998.

National Identity Register

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pieces of personal information an individual will need to supply to complete a record on the National Identity Register database.

Meg Hillier: The only information that may be recorded in an individual's entry in the National Identity Register is that set out at section 3 and schedule 1 of the Identity Cards Act 2006. The precise detail of the information that will be needed in an application has yet to be decided but is likely to be very similar to the information required for a passport application and will require approval by Parliament of secondary legislation in the form of regulations under the Identity Cards Act before the scheme is implemented.

Offences Against the Person Act 1861

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were recorded under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 in each year since 2002, broken down by offence; and what percentage of these offences  (a) resulted in court proceedings against suspected perpetrators,  (b) led to a conviction and  (c) resulted in a sanction detection.  [Official Report, 13 June 2008, Vol. 477, c. 6MC.]

Vernon Coaker: The information is not available in the form requested.
	Table 1 gives the number of offences recorded under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 since 2002 that are separately identifiable within police recorded crime statistics. It also gives the number of offences detected by means of a sanction detection. Table 2 shows the numbers of defendants proceeded against and found guilty at all courts for the years 2002 to 2006, and is taken from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform.
	The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Recorded crime and court proceedings statistics are from two different databases and recorded in quite different ways. Recorded crime data are provided on a financial year basis and counts offences whereas court proceedings data are on a calendar year basis and count offenders. Therefore, these two separate data-sets are not directly comparable.
	
		
			  Table 1: offences recorded under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and detected by means of a sanction detection 
			2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			   Offence  Number of offences  Number of sanction detections  Number of offences  Number of sanction detections  Number of offences  Number of sanction detections 
			 17A Sexual assault on a male aged 13 and over 1,316 297 1,428 370 1,450 397 
			 17B Sexual assault on a male child under 13 1,227 291 1,394 456 1,237 441 
			 19C Rape of a female aged 16 and over 8,192 1,578 8,725 1,843 8,228 1,744 
			 19D Rape of a female child under 16 3,014 868 3,153 932 2,853 805 
			 19E Rape of a female child under 13 970 276 1,388 496 1,524 553 
			 19F Rape of a male aged 16 and over 444 46 438 70 413 58 
			 19G Rape of a male child under 16 322 99 292 116 261 83 
			 19H Rape of a male child under 13 297 94 364 129 458 148 
			 20A Sexual assault on a female aged 13 and over 15,087 2,967 17,158 4,413 16,887 4,355 
			 20B Sexual assault on a female child under 13 4,391 1,151 4,647 1,632 4,249 1,494 
			 21 Sexual activity involving child under 13 1,510 405 1,950 629 1,937 636 
			 22B Sexual activity involving child under 16 2,546 696 3,283 1,124 3,210 1,058 
			 22A Causing sexual activity without consent(1) 239 57 744 596 224 58 
			 23 Incest or familial sexual offences 713 178 966 330 1,344 406 
			 70 Sexual activity etc. with a person with a mental disorder 104 11 139 29 163 43 
			 71 Abuse of children through prostitution and pornography 99 28 124 84 101 51 
			 72 Trafficking for sexual exploitation 21 8 33 23 43 22 
			 73 Abuse of position of trust of a sexual nature 682 562 463 385 361 265 
			 88A Sexual grooming 186 49 237 101 322 125 
			 88B Other miscellaneous sexual offences 11,593 2,217 11,363 2,769 10,212 2,652 
			 (1) The increase in 2005-06 was accounted for by a large number of offences that were dealt with by the Norfolk constabulary. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for abandoning children and concealment of birth, England and Wales 2002-06( 1,2) 
			2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			   Offence  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 12 Abandoning children aged under two years 4  9 1 4  4  4 2 
			 15 Concealment of birth   4 4 1  3 3 3 3 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Offensive Weapons: Yorkshire and Humberside

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) warnings,  (b) cautions and  (c) charges were issued for possession of knives in each of the last 10 years, in each police authority area in Yorkshire and the Humber, broken down by age category; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The number of offenders issued with final warnings and cautions, and the number of defendants 'proceeded against' at magistrates courts, for offences involving the possession of knives in each police force area in the Yorkshire and the Humber area by age group for the years 1997 to 2006 is shown in tables 1 to 4. Court proceedings data for 2007 will not be available until the autumn of 2008. Charging data are not held centrally, so information on the number of individuals proceeded against has been provided in lieu of charging data.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	
		
			  Table 1: The number of offenders issued with final warnings and cautions, and the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences relating to possession of knives, by certain age groups, in Humberside police force area, 1997 to 2006( 1,2,3,4) 
			   Final warning  Total cautioned( 3)  Proceeded against 
			 Age 10 to 17
			 1997 Nil 6 9 
			 1998 Nil 10 8 
			 1999 Nil 9 13 
			 2000 Nil 5 18 
			 2001 4 7 18 
			 2002 1 4 18 
			 2003 Nil 2 13 
			 2004 Nil 4 18 
			 2005 3 22 23 
			 2006 3 12 37 
			 
			 Age 18 to 20
			 1997 Nil 2 9 
			 1998 Nil 4 12 
			 1999 Nil 2 13 
			 2000 Nil 1 17 
			 2001 Nil 2 6 
			 2002 Nil 3 18 
			 2003 Nil 1 19 
			 2004 Nil 1 22 
			 2005 Nil 4 20 
			 2006 Nil 13 18 
			 
			 Age 21 and over
			 1997 Nil 2 42 
			 1998 Nil 1 44 
			 1999 Nil 6 54 
			 2000 Nil 3 30 
			 2001 Nil 1 37 
			 2002 Nil 2 45 
			 2003 Nil Nil 47 
			 2004 Nil 5 81 
			 2005 Nil 18 80 
			 2006 Nil 25 80 
			 (1)These data are on the principal offence basis. (2)From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. The total figure of reprimands and final warnings makes up cautions. (3)Data include the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions: Criminal Justice Act 1988 5.139(1) and (6): Have blade/article which was sharply pointed in public place Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139AU): Having an article with a blade or point on school premises  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDSOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: The number of offenders issued with final warnings and cautions, and the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences relating to possession of knives, by certain age groups, in North Yorkshire police force area, 1997 to 2006( 1,2,3,4) 
			   Final warning  Total cautioned( 3)  Proceeded against 
			 Age 10 to 17
			 
			 1997 Nil 3 9 
			 1998 Nil 5 3 
			 1999 Nil 4 6 
			 2000 1 10 13 
			 2001 6 9 11 
			 2002 3 9 11 
			 2003 3 5 11 
			 2004 6 14 16 
			 2005 4 9 11 
			 2006 2 9 20 
			 
			 Age 18 to 20
			 1997 Nil 1 8 
			 1998 Nil 2 6 
			 1999 Nil 3 12 
			 2000 Nil 2 10 
			 2001 Nil Nil 10 
			 2002 Nil 6 7 
			 2003 Nil 6 11 
			 2004 Nil 2 25 
			 2005 Nil 5 11 
			 2006 Nil 7 9 
			 
			 Age 21 and over
			 1997 Nil 3 30 
			 1998 Nil 2 30 
			 1999 Nil 5 34 
			 2000 Nil 5 31 
			 2001 Nil 7 43 
			 2002 Nil 3 47 
			 2003 Nil 7 41 
			 2004 Nil 4 48 
			 2005 Nil 11 58 
			 2006 Nil 8 41 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. The total figure of reprimands and final warnings makes up cautions. (3) Data include the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions: Criminal Justice Act 1988 5.139(1) and (6): Have blade/article which was sharply pointed in public place Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139A(1): Having an article with a blade or point on school premises  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDSOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: The number of offenders issued with final warnings and cautions, and the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences relating to possession of knives, by certain age groups, in South Yorkshire police force area, 1997 to 2006( 1,2,3,4) 
			   Final warning  Total cautioned( 3)  Proceeded against 
			 Age 10 to 17
			 
			 1997 Nil 4 12 
			 1998 Nil 2 14 
			 1999 2 3 18 
			 2000 2 12 23 
			 2001 3 17 28 
			 2002 3 13 48 
			 2003 5 13 37 
			 2004 7 24 29 
			 2005 19 49 39 
			 2006 20 48 45 
			 
			 Age 18 to 20
			 1997 Nil Nil 11 
			 1998 Nil Nil 14 
			 1999 Nil 1 10 
			 2000 Nil 1 17 
			 2001 Nil Nil 27 
			 2002 Nil 2 38 
			 2003 Nil 2 22 
			 2004 Nil 5 26 
			 2005 Nil 10 31 
			 2006 Nil 17 25 
			 
			 Age 21 and over
			 1997 Nil Nil 45 
			 1998 Nil Nil 44 
			 1999 Nil Nil 59 
			 2000 Nil 2 51 
			 2001 Nil 1 93 
			 2002 Nil 3 115 
			 2003 Nil 2 150 
			 2004 Nil 9 108 
			 2005 Nil 34 127 
			 2006 Nil 58 99 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. The total figure of reprimands and final warnings makes up cautions. (3) Data include the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions: Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139(l) and (6): Have blade/article which was sharply pointed in public place Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139A(1): Having an article with a blade or point on school premises  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDSOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: The number of offenders issued with final warnings and cautions, and the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences relating to possession of knives, by certain age groups, in West Yorkshire police force area, 1997 to 2006( 1,2,3,4) 
			   Final warning  Total cautioned( 3)  Proceeded against 
			 Age 10 to 17
			 1997 Nil Nil 15 
			 1998 Nil 5 7 
			 1999 - 6 16 
			 2000 1 13 12 
			 2001 5 12 21 
			 2002 5 13 25 
			 2003 2 11 23 
			 2004 3 13 49 
			 2005 3 33 31 
			 2006 8 28 33 
			 Age 18 to 20
			 1997 Nil Nil 8 
			 1998 Nil 2 11 
			 1999 Nil 1 10 
			 2000 Nil Nil 16 
			 2001 Nil 4 23 
			 2002 Nil 4 22 
			 2003 Nil 2 29 
			 2004 Nil 6 26 
			 2005 Nil 11 32 
			 2006 Nil 11 22 
			 
			 Age 21 and over
			 1997 Nil Nil 30 
			 1998 Nil 1 47 
			 1999 Nil 5 59 
			 2000 Nil 7 54 
			 2001 Nil 4 72 
			 2002 Nil 7 110 
			 2003 Nil 9 87 
			 2004 Nil 14 126 
			 2005 Nil 28 151 
			 2006 Nil 29 159 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. The total figure of reprimands and final warnings makes up cautions. (3) Data include the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions: Criminal Justice Act 1988 S. 139(1) and (6): Have blade/article which was sharply pointed in public place Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139A(1): Having an article with a blade or point on school premises  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDSOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice

Organised Crime

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on tackling serious and organised crime in the last 12 months.

Vernon Coaker: The Serious Crime Act 2007 introduced a number of provisions for tackling organised crime more effectively. These included the creation of Serious Crime Prevention Orders, a new offence of encouraging or assisting crime, measures to improve data sharing to prevent and detect fraud, improvements in the law relating to the proceeds of crime and the merger of the Assets Recovery Agency into the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).
	35 million of additional funding is being provided for improving protective services over the next three years specifically targeted at supporting collaborative work and strengthening police forces' ability to combat serious organised criminal networks. This funding will help continue work initiated by the Association of Chief Police Officers maintaining the 10 Regional Intelligence Units and enabling the East Midlands Special Operations Unit to continue its work to tackle serious and organised crime in its area.
	SOCA will report on its achievements during 2007-08 in its annual report, due to be published in May, and the creation of the UK Border Agency from 1 April will improve the Government's response to organised crime by strengthening the UK's border controls.

Police

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her definition of a front line police officer is.

Tony McNulty: Frontline police officers are those who are directly involved with the delivery of core operational policing. Examples of roles considered as front line include: Burglary, CID, Firearms, Community Safety, Dogs, Drugs, Foot/Car/Beat Patrol, Neighbourhood Policing, Hate Crime, Mounted Police, Special Branch, Marine, Air, Underwater, and Vice.

Police Cautions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of cautions were found to be unlawful in each year since 1995, broken down by police force area; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Police Cautions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of cautions were found to be inappropriate in each year since 1995, broken down by police force area; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Police Cautions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reprimands given in each year since 1995 were found to have been  (a) unlawful and (b) inappropriate, broken down by police force area; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Police Custody: Young People

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children aged  (a) 10,  (b) 11,  (c) 12 and  (d) 13 years were held in custody (i) on remand and (ii) after being convicted in connection with a breach of an anti-social behaviour order in (A) 2004, (B) 2005 and (C) 2006; and what the average length of detention was in each year.

Vernon Coaker: The data are not collected centrally. Home Office and Youth Justice Board Guidance states that custody for young people who breach their antisocial behaviour order should be used as a last resort.

Police: Complaints

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) successful and  (b) unsuccessful cases have been brought by members of the public against police forces for (i) malicious prosecution, (ii) false imprisonment and (iii) assault in the last five years; and how much compensation was paid in each successful case.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Police: Finance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how population growth is taken into account when calculating the total resource allocation formula for police forces.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his question on 1 April 2008,  Official Report, columns 764-65W.

Police: Finance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much  (a) in total and  (b) per head of population was raised from police precepts in each police authority in England and Wales in each year since 1996-97;
	(2)  how much was raised from police precepts in each police authority in England and Wales in each year since 2006-07.

Tony McNulty: Information is set out in the following tables.
	
		
			   1996 - 97  1997 - 98  1998 - 99 
			  Police authority  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million)  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million)  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million) 
			 Avon and Somerset 22.27 1.45 25.56 1.46 27.24 1.47 
			 Bedfordshire 8.28 0.55 9.50 0.55 10.23 0.55 
			 Cambridgeshire 10.15 0.69 11.71 0.70 11.23 0.70 
			 Cheshire 14.90 0.98 17.12 0.98 18.31 0.98 
			 Cleveland 7.19 0.56 8.60 0.55 7.62 0.55 
			 Cumbria 8.05 0.49 9.23 0.49 11.58 0.49 
			 Derbyshire 13.20 0.95 15.09 0.95 17.01 0.96 
			 Devon and Cornwall 23.91 1.53 26.30 1.54 25.81 1.54 
			 Dorset 14.90 0.68 16.60 0.68 18.65 0.68 
			 Durham 7.66 0.60 8.88 0.60 8.32 0.60 
			 Dyfed-Powys 7.90 0.48 8.24 0.48 10.21 0.48 
			 Essex 25.91 1.57 29.28 1.58 34.14 1.59 
			 Gloucestershire 8.72 6.97 10.05 0.56 11.43 0.56 
			 Greater Manchester 33.81 0.55 40.17 2.52 42.04 2.52 
			 Gwent 8.19 2.53 8.67 0.55 9.68 0.55 
			 Hampshire 27.87 0.55 31.76 1.75 31.06 1.76 
			 Hertfordshire 15.47 1.74 17.59 1.01 20.24 1.02 
			 Humberside 11.65 1.00 13.44 0.88 13.60 0.88 
			 Kent 25.24 0.88 28.70 1.55 27.20 1.55 
			 Lancashire 19.45 1.54 22.86 1.41 23.13 1.41 
			 Leicestershire 12.50 1.41 14.50 0.92 17.13 0.92 
			 Lincolnshire 12.86 0.92 13.40 0.62 15.51 0.63 
			 Merseyside 23.10 0.62 27.03 1.39 29.08 1.39 
			 Metropolitan 159.99 1.40 181.83 7.01 222.26 7.06 
			 Norfolk 11.40 0.77 13.03 0.77 14.02 0.78 
			 North Wales 10.70 0.65 11.24 0.65 13.61 0.66 
			 North Yorkshire 12.09 0.73 13.42 0.73 13.42 0.73 
			 Northamptonshire 18.40 0.60 21.25 0.61 19.36 0.62 
			 Northumbria 11.73 1.42 12.99 1.42 12.84 1.41 
			 Nottinghamshire 13.69 1.02 14.92 1.02 16.39 1.02 
			 South Wales 18.36 1.21 19.49 1.21 22.39 1.21 
			 South Yorkshire 16.18 1.28 18.87 1.28 19.30 1.27 
			 Staffordshire 15.45 1.04 17.71 1.05 23.59 1.05 
			 Suffolk 9.84 0.66 11.30 0.66 11.66 0.66 
			 Surrey 14.33 1.03 15.04 1.04 22.47 1.04 
			 Sussex 25.59 1.45 29.06 1.46 28.98 1.47 
			 Thames Valley 35.67 2.04 40.62 2.06 39.51 2.07 
			 Warwickshire 8.10 0.49 9.17 0.50 11.01 0.50 
			 West Mercia 17.23 1.12 19.66 1.13 21.05 1.14 
			 West Midlands 33.79 2.61 39.56 2.59 36.65 2.59 
			 West Yorkshire 26.86 2.07 31.84 2.07 31.83 2.07 
			 Wiltshire 10.27 0.59 11.78 0.59 13.56 0.60 
			 England and Wales Total 832.84 51.40 947.02 51.56 1,034.32 51.71 
		
	
	
		
			   1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02 
			  Police authority  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million)  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million)  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million) 
			 Avon and Somerset 30.58 1.48 34.42 1.49 37.42 1.49 
			 Bedfordshire 11.34 0.56 12.50 0.56 13.29 0.57 
			 Cambridgeshire 12.30 0.70 14.91 0.71 16.48 0.71 
			 Cheshire 19.36 0.98 21.21 0.98 22.64 0.98 
			 Cleveland 9.86 0.55 10.39 0.55 11.17 0.55 
			 Cumbria 12.61 0.49 13.70 0.49 14.90 0.49 
			 Derbyshire 19.75 0.96 21.58 0.96 23.20 0.97 
			 Devon and Cornwall 28.87 1.55 32.18 1.57 34.16 1.58 
			 Dorset 20.67 0.69 22.72 0.69 24.92 0.69 
			 Durham 8.67 0.59 9.13 0.59 9.86 0.59 
			 Dyfed-Powys 12.64 0.48 14.94 0.49 16.06 0.49 
			 Essex 36.13 1.60 40.19 1.61 42.48 1.62 
			 Gloucestershire 13.83 0.56 15.76 0.56 16.80 0.56 
			 Greater Manchester 45.02 2.52 47.07 2.52 48.88 2.52 
			 Gwent 10.75 0.55 13.66 0.55 15.45 0.55 
			 Hampshire 33.64 1.77 34.71 1.77 37.50 1.78 
			 Hertfordshire 22.01 1.02 28.08 1.03 30.16 1.04 
			 Humberside 14.28 0.87 15.85 0.87 22.73 0.88 
			 Kent 29.81 1.56 31.92 1.57 34.80 1.58 
			 Lancashire 25.19 1.41 27.56 1.41 30.18 1.42 
			 Leicestershire 18.06 0.92 19.42 0.92 21.85 0.93 
			 Lincolnshire 16.31 0.63 17.50 0.64 18.67 0.65 
			 Merseyside 31.41 1.38 33.16 1.37 35.33 1.37 
			 Metropolitan 241.32 7.15 248.19 7.23 324.57 7.32 
			 Norfolk 17.02 0.79 19.30 0.79 22.60 0.80 
			 North Wales 15.72 0.66 18.79 0.66 20.04 0.66 
			 North Yorkshire 15.07 0.74 16.00 0.74 17.04 0.75 
			 Northamptonshire 20.32 0.62 21.22 0.63 22.87 0.63 
			 Northumbria 14.01 1.40 15.44 1.40 17.17 1.39 
			 Nottinghamshire 18.72 1.02 19.97 1.02 21.66 1.02 
			 South Wales 26.17 1.21 32.52 1.21 34.80 1.20 
			 South Yorkshire 20.19 1.27 21.17 1.27 22.63 1.27 
			 Staffordshire 25.83 1.05 27.51 1.05 31.46 1.05 
			 Suffolk 12.63 0.67 13.90 0.67 15.46 0.67 
			 Surrey 25.71 1.06 36.92 1.06 38.91 1.06 
			 Sussex 30.62 1.49 32.24 1.49 34.58 1.50 
			 Thames Valley 44.45 2.08 47.87 2.09 51.66 2.10 
			 Warwickshire 12.78 0.50 14.04 0.50 15.68 0.51 
			 West Mercia 23.41 1.14 29.78 1.15 32.04 1.16 
			 West Midlands 38.45 2.58 41.28 2.57 43.31 2.57 
			 West Yorkshire 33.47 2.07 36.20 2.07 37.87 2.08 
			 Wiltshire 15.05 0.60 16.83 0.61 18.71 0.61 
			 England and Wales Total 1,133.97 51.93 1,241.74 52.13 1,401.94 52.35 
		
	
	continued
	
		
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			  Police authority  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million)  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million)  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million) 
			 Avon and Somerset 43.44 1.50 58.63 1.51 66.34 1.52 
			 Bedfordshire 15.04 0.57 18.03 0.57 20.91 0.58 
			 Cambridgeshire 23.10 0.72 28.04 0.73 32.56 0.74 
			 Cheshire 25.91 0.99 31.32 0.99 34.99 0.99 
			 Cleveland 15.53 0.55 19.54 0.55 22.38 0.55 
			 Cumbria 16.63 0.49 21.84 0.49 25.75 0.49 
			 Derbyshire 28.47 0.97 34.88 0.98 38.69 0.98 
			 Devon and Cornwall 41.21 1.59 58.23 1.60 65.77 1.62 
			 Dorset 28.11 0.70 33.80 0.70 37.90 0.70 
			 Durham 11.38 0.59 14.14 0.59 16.37 0.60 
			 Dyfed-Powys 17.49 0.49 22.41 0.50 26.12 0.50 
			 Essex 46.84 1.62 56.51 1.63 60.82 1.64 
			 Gloucestershire 19.42 0.57 29.64 0.57 33.03 0.57 
			 Greater Manchester 52.25 2.52 69.77 2.53 75.48 2.54 
			 Gwent 17.68 0.55 22.42 0.56 26.38 0.56 
			 Hampshire 48.16 1.79 62.80 1.80 70.86 1.80 
			 Hertfordshire 33.93 1.04 41.36 1.04 47.67 1.04 
			 Humberside 25.46 0.88 30.67 0.88 35.86 0.89 
			 Kent 42.83 1.59 55.88 1.60 63.03 1.61 
			 Lancashire 33.13 1.42 39.56 1.43 45.90 1.43 
			 Leicestershire 27.89 0.93 31.02 0.94 35.88 0.95 
			 Lincolnshire 19.94 0.66 22.32 0.67 24.32 0.67 
			 Merseyside 39.32 1.37 42.25 1.36 46.24 1.37 
			 Metropolitan 361.38 7.36 443.75 7.38 521.32 7.42 
			 Norfolk 27.45 0.80 33.70 0.81 38.99 0.82 
			 North Wales 23.62 0.67 31.31 0.67 37.96 0.67 
			 North Yorkshire 22.04 0.76 27.74 0.76 32.24 0.76 
			 Northamptonshire 24.06 0.64 26.56 0.64 28.14 0.65 
			 Northumbria 24.56 1.39 43.58 1.39 48.95 1.40 
			 Nottinghamshire 26.52 1.02 34.37 1.03 38.13 1.03 
			 South Wales 36.74 1.21 42.75 1.21 48.39 1.22 
			 South Yorkshire 26.88 1.27 34.38 1.27 37.97 1.28 
			 Staffordshire 33.99 1.05 43.07 1.05 47.52 1.05 
			 Suffolk 19.07 0.67 25.67 0.68 28.65 0.68 
			 Surrey 45.44 1.06 63.75 1.06 69.79 1.07 
			 Sussex 41.11 1.50 57.89 1.51 63.44 1.51 
			 Thames Valley 59.17 2.10 86.13 2.11 98.62 2.12 
			 Warwickshire 18.98 0.51 22.07 0.52 24.10 0.53 
			 West Mercia 42.97 1.17 49.66 1.17 57.87 1.18 
			 West Midlands 47.17 2.58 54.53 2.58 61.33 2.58 
			 West Yorkshire 47.79 2.09 56.08 2.10 64.72 2.11 
			 Wiltshire 20.73 0.62 25.19 0.62 27.85 0.63 
			 England and Wales Total 1,622.83 52.56 2,047.19 52.79 2,329.19 53.04 
		
	
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			  Police authority  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million)  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million)  Council tax requirement ( million)  Resident population (million) 
			 Avon and Somerset 70.31 1.53 74.38 1.54 80.39 1.55 
			 Bedfordshire 22.10 0.58 23.38 0.59 24.75 0.59 
			 Cambridgeshire 34.60 0.75 36.73 0.75 39.40 0.76 
			 Cheshire 37.02 0.99 39.43 1.00 42.56 1.00 
			 Cleveland 23.83 0.55 25.14 0.55 26.50 0.55 
			 Cumbria 26.79 0.50 28.31 0.49 29.89 0.49 
			 Derbyshire 40.90 0.98 43.12 0.99 45.63 0.99 
			 Devon and Cornwall 70.09 1.63 74.18 1.64 78.64 1.65 
			 Dorset 40.54 0.70 42.84 0.71 45.35 0.71 
			 Durham 17.38 0.60 18.38 0.59 25.11 0.59 
			 Dyfed-Powys 28.04 0.51 29.86 0.51 31.80 0.51 
			 Essex 64.76 1.65 69.09 1.65 73.23 1.66 
			 Gloucestershire 34.63 0.58 36.69 0.58 38.92 0.58 
			 Greater Manchester 81.09 2.55 85.79 2.54 90.79 2.55 
			 Gwent 28.51 0.56 30.11 0.56 32.00 0.56 
			 Hampshire 75.00 1.81 79.28 1.82 84.04 1.83 
			 Hertfordshire 50.33 1.05 53.43 1.06 56.62 1.06 
			 Humberside 37.80 0.89 39.92 0.89 42.23 0.89 
			 Kent 66.95 1.62 70.89 1.63 75.16 1.65 
			 Lancashire 49.45 1.44 52.28 1.44 58.56 1.44 
			 Leicestershire 38.19 0.95 40.46 0.95 42.95 0.96 
			 Lincolnshire 26.24 0.68 27.96 0.69 29.71 0.70 
			 Merseyside 48.90 1.37 51.48 1.36 54.15 1.36 
			 Metropolitan 560.49 7.51 607.42 7.51 648.96 7.56 
			 Norfolk 41.26 0.82 44.02 0.83 47.44 0.84 
			 North Wales 42.43 0.68 45.02 0.68 48.49 0.68 
			 North Yorkshire 33.70 0.77 35.95 0.77 38.23 0.77 
			 Northamptonshire 29.59 0.65 30.46 0.66 31.90 0.66 
			 Northumbria 50.56 1.41 52.17 1.39 54.18 1.39 
			 Nottinghamshire 40.38 1.04 42.59 1.04 45.00 1.04 
			 South Wales 52.90 1.22 56.54 1.23 59.93 1.23 
			 South Yorkshire 40.05 1.29 42.30 1.28 44.71 1.28 
			 Staffordshire 50.34 1.05 53.36 1.05 56.40 1.05 
			 Suffolk 30.23 0.69 31.98 0.69 34.08 0.70 
			 Surrey 73.81 1.08 78.66 1.08 83.21 1.08 
			 Sussex 67.11 1.52 70.99 1.53 75.64 1.54 
			 Thames Valley 104.19 2.14 110.77 2.14 117.82 2.15 
			 Warwickshire 25.51 0.53 27.02 0.53 28.59 0.53 
			 West Mercia 60.72 1.19 64.29 1.19 67.95 1.19 
			 West Midlands 64.57 2.59 68.00 2.59 71.58 2.59 
			 West Yorkshire 68.96 2.12 73.22 2.12 77.82 2.13 
			 Wiltshire 29.63 0.63 31.61 0.64 33.64 0.64 
			 England and Wales Total 2,479.85 53.38 2,639.50 53.45 2,813.97 53.68 
			  Note: Population figures sourced by DCLG from ONS (2006/07 and 2007/08 figures are projected)  Source: DCLG - from English Police Authorities/WAG - from Welsh Police Authorities.

Police: Football

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information she has on the amount spent by each football league club in England on policing of football grounds in each of the last five years for which figures are available, and what information she has on the average amount spent by each club per game for policing in each of those years.

Vernon Coaker: This information is not collated centrally.

Police: Football

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many football supporters were arrested or detained by police at the ground of each  (a) Premier League,  (b) Championship and  (c) Nationwide league club in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office gathers and publishes annually comprehensive statistics on football-related arrests and football banning orders. Tables detail the number of arrests by club supported, by competition and by the type of offence. Full details for the last three football seasons can be found on the Home Office website at the following page:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/football-disorder/.

Police: ICT

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the integration of police IT systems.

Tony McNulty: The Police Service has established policy and standards which enable integration, notably the Management of Police Information, a statutory code of practice introduced in 2005 to ensure that all police operational information is managed in a consistent way. The Association of Chief Police Officers Information Systems Strategy for the Police Service, which was adopted in 2006, sets out the standards used to specify, acquire and operate nationally-compatible Police information systems.
	Police Information Technology (IT) systems are integrated with Criminal Justice partners; the Criminal Justice System Exchange provides IT services to enable common case information to be shared. Additionally, common solutions integrate the data from police forces to provide national information resources. Last year saw the completion of the National Firearms Licensing Management System and ViSOR, a United Kingdom-wide system used to store and share information and intelligence on those individuals who have been identified as posing a risk of serious harm to the public.
	The IMPACT Nominal Index, operational since 2005, allows police officers to establish whether any forces in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland hold information about a person of interest. The next phase of IMPACT, the Police National Database, is now in procurement and will provide a single access point for searching across all of the forces' main operational information systems.
	Police forces are implementing information systems where master filing eliminates data redundancy in incident recording, investigations, case preparation and intelligence: each item of data, such as a suspect's name, is recorded in the system only once. Collaborations on regional crime, such as East Midlands Special Operations Unit, are using the secure Police National Network (PNN3), to which all forces connect, to give officers access to intelligence sources in each of the participating forces.
	In his Review of Policing, Sir Ronnie Flanagan identifies further areas for the development of common approaches to operational processes and procurement which will set new challenges for the management of information systems across the Police Service. At the time of publication of the Review, my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, commissioned the National Policing Improvement Agency to carry out a review of police IT and report to the National Policing Board (NPB) on 6 May. The report will form the basis for our future strategy for the more effective delivery of policing, supported by excellent IT systems.

Police: Manpower

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civilian staff have been employed in England and Wales, broken down by police force area in each year since 1997; and how many of these civilians have been employed in a post formerly occupied by a uniformed officer.

Tony McNulty: Figures for number of police staff (formerly known as civilians) as at 31 March by police force area have been published each year since 1998 in the Home Office Statistical Bulletins Police Service Strength, England and Wales. They are accessible online at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pubsstatistical.html
	The following tables contain, for each bulletin from 1998 to 2007, references to the table and page numbers containing these data, together with the actual figures for 1997.
	The Home Office does not collect figures on the number of police staff employed in posts formerly occupied by police officers.
	
		
			  Table A: Actual data, 1997, number of police staff in England and Wales by police force area, 1997 to 2007 
			   Police staff (FTE)( 1) 
			 Avon and Somerset 1,438 
			 Bedfordshire 484 
			 Cambridgeshire 607 
			 Cheshire 735 
			 Cleveland 609 
			 Cumbria 451 
			 Derbyshire 723 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,159 
			 Dorset 615 
			 Durham 583 
			 Essex 1,199 
			 Gloucestershire 435 
			 Greater Manchester 2,612 
			 Hampshire 1,316 
			 Hertfordshire 818 
			 Humberside 718 
			 Kent 1,384 
			 Lancashire 1,126 
			 Leicestershire 755 
			 Lincolnshire 521 
			 City of London 347 
			 Merseyside 1,343 
			 Metropolitan Police 13,493 
			 Norfolk 603 
			 Northamptonshire 554 
			 Northumbria 1,365 
			 North Yorkshire 519 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,003 
			 South Yorkshire 1,291 
			 Staffordshire 763 
			 Suffolk 522 
			 Surrey 727 
			 Sussex 1,149 
			 Thames Valley 1,825 
			 Warwickshire 376 
			 West Mercia 942 
			 West Midlands 2,739 
			 West Yorkshire 2,234 
			 Wiltshire 475 
			   
			 Dyfed-Powys 322 
			 Gwent 452 
			 North Wales 476 
			 South Wales 1,206 
			   
			 England and Wales 53,011 
			 (1) Number of full-time equivalent staff, rounded to the nearest whole number. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: References to published data sources, 1998 to 2007 
			  Edition of Home Office Statistical Bulletin, Police Service Strength England and Wales  Table number  Page number( 1) 
			 31 March 1998 6 11 
			 31 March 1999 6 12 
			 31 March 2000 6 13 
			 31 March 2001 6 13 
			 31 March 2002 6 13 
			 31 March 2003 8 19 
			 31 March 2004 8 18 
			 31 March 2005 8a 19 
			 31 March 2006 10a 21 
			 31 March 2007 10a 22 
			 (1) This is the page number of bulletin, which may differ slightly from the download file page number.

Police: Olympic Games 2012

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether police will be taken away from their normal duties to police the procession of the Olympic Torch through London on 6 April;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the likely cost of policing the procession of the Olympic Torch through London on 6 April;
	(3)  what steps are being taken to allow peaceful protests during the procession of the Olympic Torch through London on 6 April.

Tony McNulty: The role of the police in policing processions and demonstrations is to preserve the peace, to uphold the law, facilitate lawful protest and to prevent the commission of offences. Police tactics and decisions to achieve these objectives are a matter for the independent operational judgement of chief officers of police.
	The Metropolitan Police Service had an appropriate operational plan in place to police the Olympic torch relay. The Metropolitan Police anticipated that some officers would be abstracted from their core roles. The costs of the operation will not be finalised until after the event. These costs will be reported to the Metropolitan Police Authority in line with any other large-scale policing operation.

Police: Parish Councils

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are funded  (a) in full and  (b) in part by parish councils.

Tony McNulty: Police officers are funded by a combination of Government grant and council tax. We do not collect data on how many police officer posts are funded by parish councils or any other local authority.

Police: Per Capita Costs

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost of employing a fully-trained  (a) police constable and  (b) police community support officer was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: It has been estimated that the average pay and pay related cost of employing a full time police officer (of rank sergeant or below) in 2006-07 was approximately 45,830, and the average pay and pay related cost of employing a full time police community support officer in 2006-07 was approximately 26,426.
	The cost of training and non-pay related costs such as premises, supplies and transport are not included in this estimate.

Police: Photography

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on  (a) members of the public and  (b) press photographers taking photographs of police officers in public places.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 31 March 2008
	There is no Home Office policy on members of the public or press photographers taking photographs of police officers in public places.

Police: Road Traffic Control

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many roadside checks of  (a) speed,  (b) use of seat belts and child restraints,  (c) vehicle safety and roadworthiness and  (d) influence of alcohol or drugs were carried out by each police force during each of the last 12 months.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested on roadside checks is not collected centrally. The conducting of roadside checks to deal with traffic offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police.

Police: Rural Areas

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the use of mobile police units in policing rural areas; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The use of mobile police units is a matter for each police authority and the chief officer, who are responsible for assessing local needs.

Police: Sick Leave

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days sickness after an assault were taken by police officers in each police force in England and Wales in each year since 1997; and what the  (a) average number of days lost per police officer following an assault and  (b) cost was to each force in each of those years.

Tony McNulty: The data provided here are a supplementary series collected on behalf and released with the approval of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). These data are normally used for inspection purposes only.
	It is therefore important to note that these provisional data have not undergone the usual data quality assurance practices (including validation with individual police forces) and are therefore supplied for information purposes only.
	The requested data have been collected since 2002-03 and are given in the following table.
	 (a), (b) The requested information are not collected centrally within the police personnel statistics series.
	
		
			  Number of police officer working days lost due to assaults( 1)  from 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 687 793 464 n/a 21 
			 Bedfordshire 213 387 112 184 178 
			 Cambridgeshire 65 220 194 284 62 
			 Cheshire 431 100 755 575 115 
			 Cleveland n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Cumbria 11 11 46 150 n/a 
			 Derbyshire 590 906 262 351 236 
			 Devon and Cornwall 655 324 136 990 334 
			 Dorset 81 73 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Durham 241 169 101 28 n/a 
			 Dyfed-Powys n/a n/a 274 93 97 
			 Essex 478 294 305 301 248 
			 Gloucestershire 115 244 182 199 165 
			 Greater Manchester n/a n/a 1,702 1,127 94 
			 Gwent 175 304 426 417 n/a 
			 Hampshire 919 733 278 302 252 
			 Hertfordshire 433 328 134 85 186 
			 Humberside 385 390 133 156 n/a 
			 Kent 433 638 412 437 748 
			 Lancashire 2,484 983 1,330 1,095 603 
			 Leicestershire n/a n/a n/a 193 274 
			 Lincolnshire 201 n/a 95 88 211 
			 London, City of 48 98 44 43 13 
			 Merseyside 267 143 195 184 n/a 
			 Metropolitan Police n/a 5,043 3,401 18,577 7,647 
			 Norfolk 3 84 272 41 67 
			 Northamptonshire 54 4 20 4 29 
			 Northumbria 578 664 368 290 905 
			 North Wales n/a n/a 169 158 323 
			 North Yorkshire n/a n/a 102 n/a 137 
			 Nottinghamshire 228 n/a 303 145 n/a 
			 South Wales 576 637 n/a n/a n/a 
			 South Yorkshire n/a 249 183 160 104 
			 Staffordshire 435 154 446 285 299 
			 Suffolk 277 67 26 5 213 
			 Surrey 469 525 98 32 20 
			 Sussex 342 504 544 334 109 
			 Thames Valley 48 312 159 n/a n/a 
			 Warwickshire 30 39 8 63 715 
			 West Mercia 251 290 592 467 446 
			 West Midlands 2,318 n/a 1,502 1,313 1,419 
			 West Yorkshire 1,296 2,025 1,383 974 725 
			 Wiltshire 37 18 152 37 n/a 
			 (1) Provisional data taken from a supplementary series collected on behalf of HMIC and used for inspection purposes only. Data has not undergone usual quality assurance practices (including validation with individual police forces) and are therefore supplied for information purposes only. n/a - data not available. Force was not able to supply data at the time of collection.

Police: Sick Leave

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rates of sick leave were reported in each police force in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 773W.

Police: Vacancies

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officer vacancies of all ranks there were in  (a) the Metropolitan police force and  (b) all other constabularies in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 31 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 615-16W.

Police: Vetting

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken by each police force was to respond to inquiries from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) as part of routine CRB checks in the last year for which figures are available.

Meg Hillier: I refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 30 January 2008,  Official Report, column 386W.

Pornography: Internet

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pornographic images of children were removed from the internet following investigations by  (a) police and  (b) her Department's agencies in each year since 2000.

Vernon Coaker: There are no figures held by the Home Office for either categories mentioned.
	Websites containing child abuse images are usually removed from the internet by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
	The IWF, a self-regulatory organisation funded by the internet industry and the EU operates the UK's 'notice and take-down' service for child sexual abuse content on the internet. They do not count individual images that are removed, rather they focus their efforts on removing web pages or websites which contain or provide access to one, tens, hundreds or possibly thousands of individual child sexual abuse images. On the rare occasion content depicting child sexual abuse is traced to servers in the UK, a takedown request is issued by the IWF and the content is removed, usually within a matter of hours.
	This partnership approach has proved very successful and UK hosted child sexual abuse content known to the IWF has been less than 1 per cent. since 2003, down from 18 per cent. in 1997. In addition, the IWF provides a list of newsgroups which feature, advertise or advocate child sexual abuse to all UK service providers who voluntarily block large numbers which, in turn, denies access to thousands of such images. Search providers are provided with a list of keywords so that they can manage the quality of their returns and remove potentially illegal websites known to the IWF.
	This work is about removing content, complicating access, protecting internet users from inadvertent exposure and making the operations of those behind the websites more difficult. Details of each website confirmed to contain child sexual abuse is also passed to UK law enforcement for appropriate investigation. As over 99 per cent. of online child sexual abuse content is now hosted abroad, the IWF works in partnership with the relevant hotline and other authorities around the world, passing on intelligence relating to content in that country. It also provides a dynamic list of child sexual abuse URLs hosted abroad to the online industry to enable them to protect users by blocking inadvertent access to such content.

Racially Aggravated Offences

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racially-motivated crimes were committed in each police force area in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Total racially-aggravated offences( 1 ) recorded by police force area in England and Wales, 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			  Police force area  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 900 1,256 1,431 1,326 1,337 
			 Bedfordshire 169 207 266 339 308 
			 Cambridgeshire 410 384 398 322 351 
			 Cheshire 376 400 438 569 557 
			 Cleveland 145 251 288 528 464 
			 Cumbria 69 116 186 232 219 
			 Derbyshire 560 600 474 494 492 
			 Devon and Cornwall 496 588 694 818 801 
			 Dorset 177 166 254 214 291 
			 Durham 371 138 154 258 304 
			 Dyfed-Powys 96 126 154 118 167 
			 Essex 558 760 807 796 922 
			 Gloucestershire 210 167 215 283 326 
			 Greater Manchester 2,353 2,864 3,203 3,398 3,677 
			 Gwent 193 240 233 289 269 
			 Hampshire 317 415 570 1,120 1,326 
			 Hertfordshire 343 730 859 985 954 
			 Humberside 302 438 488 417 655 
			 Kent 547 480 609 798 935 
			 Lancashire 860 1,085 1,183 1,363 1,238 
			 Leicestershire 809 809 980 1,007 1,055 
			 Lincolnshire 136 179 169 200 143 
			 London, City of 71 60 48 75 83 
			 Merseyside 734 943 1,061 1,420 1,423 
			 Metropolitan police 9,853 9,468 9,444 8,769 8,226 
			 Norfolk 203 268 333 343 340 
			 Northamptonshire 303 413 389 455 422 
			 Northumbria 934 974 886 834 924 
			 North Wales 288 278 331 396 356 
			 North Yorkshire 80 54 133 205 234 
			 Nottinghamshire 635 619 551 566 715 
			 South Wales 737 794 735 713 555 
			 South Yorkshire 242 259 471 1,032 1,037 
			 Staffordshire 466 600 646 805 889 
			 Suffolk 246 297 244 240 329 
			 Surrey 407 482 510 845 588 
			 Sussex 443 552 575 710 991 
			 Thames Valley 948 1,104 1,154 1,128 1,483 
			 Warwickshire 159 187 222 293 375 
			 West Mercia 527 674 609 527 499 
			 West Midlands 2,422 2,479 2,413 3,071 3,338 
			 West Yorkshire 707 1,874 2,140 2,898 2,691 
			 Wiltshire 232 244 220 260 253 
			 British Transport police 402 652 946 1,088 1,188 
			 England and Wales total 31,436 35,674 38,114 42,547 43,730 
			 (1) There are currently seven racially-aggravated offence classifications within the Recorded Crime series. They are as follows: less serious wounding, harassment, assault without injury, criminal damage to a dwelling, criminal damage to a building other that a dwelling, criminal damage to a vehicle, and other criminal damage.

Security: Licensing

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Security Industry Authority has taken to accelerate the licence application process.

Vernon Coaker: Steps taken by the SIA to speed up the licence application process include the following:
	A number of improvements have been made to simplify and streamline the application process, including:
	the introduction of a simplified application form and application system;
	an online request system for application forms and distribution of forms to training providers and security companies;
	facility for licence application to be made for more than one licensable sector on the same form;
	reduced document requirements for some applicants renewing their licences;
	improvements to the processing of applications; and
	improvements to the online application tracker to provide applicants with more information on the progress of their applications.
	Further steps planned:
	online application facility;
	Direct Debit payment facility for companies (who may apply on behalf of individual employees); and
	online UK passport checks.
	Steps have also been taken to deal with the immediate workload, including:
	At the SIA's Managed Service Provider (MSP) facility:
	deployment by the MSP of additional staff from other areas, together with additional specialist equipment;
	employment of additional staff and management; and
	overtime working at weekends and evenings, and double shifts;
	SIA HQ staff have:
	prioritised work on older licence applications which suffered delays due to changes to the SIA's processing system in November and December 2007; and
	been deployed at the SIA's call centre for temporary periods.

Security: Licensing

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licence applications pending a decision by the Security Industry Authority are over nine weeks old.

Vernon Coaker: This information is not currently available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

Security: Litter Bins

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice she has issued on the security implications of the provision of litter bins at  (a) railway stations and  (b) other public places.

Tony McNulty: As part of their work, the Government's Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) and the police National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) provide advice on appropriate protective security measures for crowded places. This includes advice on minimising the risk from devices placed in litter bins. CPNI's website:
	www.cpni.gov.uk
	provides advice on a range of basic good security measures, which includes giving consideration to the location, cleaning regime and removal of bins, as well as the use of clear plastic bags.
	Further advice is available on the NaCTSO website:
	www.nactso.gov.uk
	CPNI, in conjunction with the Home Office Scientific and Development Branch (HOSDB), has also developed a standard against which the explosion resistance of litter and recycling bins can be tested by manufacturers.
	The railway industry is subject to requirements and guidance on the provision of litter bins at railway stations regulated by the Department for Transport. Bins installed are subject to specific security control measures, including their design, location and security management. The Department for Transport has also provided guidance to local authorities on how they can help with railway security when installing street furniture, such as litter bins, in the immediate vicinity of stations.

Sexual Offences

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sexual offences prevention orders have been issued in respect of those convicted of sexual offences overseas in the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: Data on the number of Sexual Offence Prevention Orders issued to those convicted of sexual offences overseas are not collected centrally.

Sexual Offences

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people convicted of a sexual offence overseas were included on the Sex Offenders Register at the latest date for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: Data on the number of offenders subject to the notification requirements who were convicted overseas are not collected centrally. Data on the number of notification orders granted by magistrates courts are collated by the Ministry of Justice from MAPPA annual reports. Notification orders are applied for by the police and granted by magistrates courts. They require sexual offenders convicted overseas of an offence equivalent to a relevant offence in the UK to become subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Notification orders were introduced by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which came into force on 1 May 2004. Figures for the number of notification orders granted are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of notification orders granted 
			 2004-05 22 
			 2005-06 37 
			 2006-07 62

Sexual Offences Act 2003

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were recorded under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in each year since its entry into force, broken down by offence; and what percentage of these offences  (a) resulted in court proceedings against suspected perpetrators,  (b) led to a conviction and  (c) resulted in a sanction detection.

Vernon Coaker: The information is not available in the form requested.
	Table 1 gives the number of offences recorded for the offence classifications which came into force with the introduction of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. It also gives the number of offences detected by means of a sanction detection. Table 2 shows the numbers of defendants proceeded against and found guilty at all courts for the years 2004 to 2006, and is taken from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. Figures for crimes and sanction detections in 2004-05 and those proceeded against and found guilty in 2004 are not for complete 12 month periods, as the Sexual Offence Act 2003 was enacted in May 2004.
	The figures given in Table 2 relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Recorded crime and court proceedings statistics are from two different databases and recorded in quite different ways. Recorded crime data are provided on a financial year basis and counts offences whereas court proceedings data are on a calendar year basis and count offenders. Therefore, these two separate data-sets are not directly comparable.
	
		
			  Table 1 Offences recorded under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and detected by means of a sanction detection 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			  Offence  Number of offences  Number of sanction detections  Number of offences  Number of sanction detections  Number of offences  Number of sanction detections 
			 Sexual assault on a male aged 13 and over 1,316 297 1,428 370 1,450 397 
			 Sexual assault on a male child under 13 1,227 291 1,394 456 1,237 441 
			 Rape of a female aged 16 and over 8,192 1,578 8,725 1,843 8,228 1,744 
			 Rape of a female child under 16 3,014 868 3,153 932 2,853 805 
			 Rape of a female child under 13 970 276 1,388 496 1,524 553 
			 Rape of a male aged 16 and over 444 46 438 70 413 58 
			 Rape of a male child under 16 322 99 292 116 261 83 
			 Rape of a male child under 13 297 94 364 129 458 148 
			 Sexual assault on a female aged 13 and over 15,087 2,967 17,158 4,413 16,887 4,355 
			 Sexual assault on a female child under 13 4,391 1,151 4,647 1,632 4,249 1,494 
			 Sexual activity involving child under 1 3 1,510 405 1,950 629 1,937 636 
			 Sexual activity involving child under 16 2,546 696 3,283 1,124 3,210 1,058 
			 Causing sexual activity without consent 1 239 57 744 596 224 58 
			 Incest or familial sexual offences 713 178 966 330 1,344 406 
			 Sexual activity etc. with a person with a mental disorder 104 11 139 29 163 43 
			 Abuse of children through prostitution and pornography 99 28 124 84 101 51 
			 Trafficking for sexual exploitation 21 8 33 23 43 22 
			 Abuse of position of trust of a sexual nature 682 562 463 385 361 265 
			 Sexual grooming 186 49 237 101 322 125 
			 Other miscellaneous sexual offences 11,593 2,217 11,363 2,769 10,212 2,652 
			 (1) The increase in 2005-06 was accounted for by a large number of offences that were dealt with by the Norfolk Constabulary. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2 Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Sexual Offences Act2003, England and Wales 2004-06( 1,2,3,4) 
			   2004  2005  2006 
			  Offence  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 Sexual assault on a male aged 13 and over 46 7 129 52 136 64 
			 Sexual assault on a male child under 13 27 9 119 65 118 63 
			 Rape of a female aged 16 and over 1,425 372 1,571 385 1,406 426 
			 Rape of a female child under 16 1,030 316 880 282 749 271 
			 Rape of a female child under 1 3 61 5 181 60 217 90 
			 Rape of a male aged 16 and over 56 12 54 16 61 20 
			 Rape of a male child under 16 94 35 83 38 66 21 
			 Rape of a male child under 1 3 23 2 56 14 68 34 
			 Sexual assault on a female aged 13 and over 699 176 2,200 944 2,356 1,123 
			 Sexual assault on a female child under 1 3 162 41 495 212 531 315 
			 Sexual activity involving child under 13 97 30 304 123 293 181 
			 Sexual activity involving child under 16 182 74 676 456 697 644 
			 Causing sexual activity without consent 27 4 61 13 38 16 
			 Incest or familial sexual offences 32 11 109 58 116 82 
			 Sexual activity etc. with a person with a mental disorder 21 1 34 18 29 15 
			 Abuse of children through prostitution and pornography 18 2 35 8 29 17 
			 Trafficking for sexual exploitation 5 0 26 12 40 15 
			 Abuse of position of trust of a sexual nature 472 401 152 132 71 66 
			 Sexual grooming 9 3 28 25 43 36 
			 Other miscellaneous sexual offences 774 433 1,078 656 1,108 725 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) The found guilty column can often exceed the number proceeded against when a conviction takes place in a different month to when the proceeding was originally bought, or for a different offence.

Speed Limits: Fines

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the revenue from speeding fines was in each of the last seven years, broken down by police area.

Vernon Coaker: Information on revenue from speeding fines is not collected centrally.

Stop and Search

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department has given to police officers on selecting people to be stopped and searched under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Tony McNulty: In 2002-03, the Central Police Training and Development Authority (later subsumed into the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA)), developed a training package for all police forces on stop-and-search powers in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 code of practice, itself updated in 2003. NPIA has continued to upgrade the programme and supporting materials in light of lessons learnt. Among the areas covered in the training package are the powers to stop and search under the Terrorism Act 2000.
	In 2006, NPIA and the Association of Chief Police Officers produced Practice Advice on Stop and Search, which incorporates advice on stop-and-search procedures, as well as a bespoke piece of guidance issued in September 2007 on section 44 anti-terrorism stops and searches.

Terrorism

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those charged with terrorist offences since September 2001 are known to have previously sought asylum.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 31 March 2008
	BIA do not hold information in the format requested. Combined statistics on the numbers charged with terrorist offences who have previously claimed asylum are not routinely kept by either BIA or the Metropolitan police.
	The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost by examining individual case records.

Terrorism: Detainees

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons arrested on suspicion of terrorist offences since May 2005 have been held in pre-charge detention longer than  (a) 14 days,  (b) 21 days and  (c) 26 days.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 3 April 2008
	The maximum period of detention pre-charge was extended from 14 days to 28 days, with effect from 25 July 2006. To date, 11 individuals have been held for over 14 days pre-charge. The figures are broken down in the following table.
	
		
			  Pre-charge detention table 
			  Period of detention  Number of persons held  Charged  Released w/o charge 
			 14-15 days 1 1  
			 18-19 days 1 1  
			 19-20 days 3 3  
			 27-28 days 6 3 3 
			  Notes: 1. The maximum period of detention pre-charge was extended to 14 days with effect from 20 January 2004.  2. 28 days came into force 25 July 2006. The table cover the figures to date.

Terrorism: Detainees

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many potential prosecutions of terrorist suspects have been unable to proceed because of the expiry of the 28 day limit on detaining suspects without charge since the entry into force of that limit.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 3 April 2008
	 There has been no case to date where we have been unable to prosecute a terrorist suspect because of the 28 day pre-charge detention limit.

Terrorism: Detainees

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on pre-charge detention; what discussions she has had with hon. Members on the matter in each of the last six months; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: We undertook an extensive five month public consultation on the Counter-Terrorism Bill, including our proposal on pre-charge detention, during which we met representatives from the police, judiciary, civil liberties organisations and community groups and received a number of written representations. The results of the consultation were published on 6 December 2007 and copies are available in the Library. Since the end of the consultation, we have continued to discuss the Counter-Terrorism Bill with interested parties. The Department has also been sent briefing material from a number of organisations, including Liberty, Justice, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Law Society of Scotland.
	A number of discussions have taken place with hon. Members on the Counter-Terrorism Bill, including with Members of the Opposition parties.

Violent and Sex Offender Register: Disclosure of Information

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 2-4WS, on tackling violence, how she will ensure that members of the public to whom child sex offenders' convictions are disclosed do not pass that information on to others; whether such people will be allowed to pass the information on to  (a) other family members and  (b) other categories of people; what (i) documentary and (ii) other evidence people will be required to provide to be entitled to receive information on convictions; when the scheme will come into effect; what restrictions there will be on disclosure of information; what guidance she will provide to police on disclosure of information; and what convictions will be disclosable.

Vernon Coaker: The Review of the Protection of Children from Sex Offenders, referred to in the ministerial statement, included two actions relating to the disclosure of information on child sex offenders' convictions to the public. Implementation of Action 3 of the review will introduce a legal duty on MAPPA responsible authorities to consider the disclosure of information about convicted child sex offenders to members of the public. Under Action 4 a separate process will be piloted whereby members of the public will be able to register their child protection interest in a named individual and receive information on any convictions for child sex offences that individual may have, where appropriate.
	The Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill will amend the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to impose a duty on MAPPA responsible authorities to consider disclosure of a child sex offender's convictions to members of the public. The convictions that the MAPPA authorities must consider disclosing are set out at schedule 24 to the Bill. However, under their common law powers, the police are able to disclose details of other convictions in appropriate circumstances (see R  v. Chief Constable of North Wales ex parte Thorpe (1998) 3 AII ER 310). The extent of the information disclosed will be decided on a case by case basis.
	The MAPPA authorities will decide who, if anyone, should be provided with the information, and will be able to impose conditions, in order to prevent further dissemination of the information. Under the Bill, the MAPPA authorities will have discretion as to the extent of the conditions that they impose. When imposing such conditions, the MAPPA authorities will need to be mindful of their obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998 and what is necessary and proportionate to prevent harm to the child or children concerned.
	Existing statutory MAPPA guidance will be updated to take account of the new statutory duty to consider disclosure.
	In deciding whether to disclose details of convictions for child sex offences to a member of the public under the pilot scheme, MAPPA meetings will consider the risk of the recipient disclosing this information to others. Before a disclosure is made, the intended recipient will be required to sign a declaration that they will not share this information with others.
	Applicants for disclosure under the pilot scheme will be asked to provide documentary proof such as the child's birth certificate to demonstrate their relationship with the child with respect to whom they are declaring a child protection interest.
	The Government will ensure that the police are issued with comprehensive guidance on all stages of the pilot process, and are currently working with the four force areas participating in the pilot to develop the disclosure process.
	The extent of information disclosed under the pilot process will be considered on a case by cases basis by the MAPPA authorities.
	It is intended that the statutory duty will come into force following Royal Assent being given to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill, by means of a Commencement Order. It is intended that the pilots will commence this summer.

Wildlife: Crime

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful wildlife protection prosecutions were launched in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by police authority area.

Vernon Coaker: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Deer Act 1991, Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulation 1997, and the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, by Police Force Area, in England and Wales for the year 2006 can be viewed in the following table.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	
		
			  The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for certain wildlife protection offences, by Police Force Area, in England and Wales for the year 2006( 1, 2, 3) 
			  Force  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 Avon and Somerset 1  
			 Bedfordshire 2 2 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 1 
			 Cheshire 2 1 
			 Cleveland   
			 Cumbria   
			 Derbyshire   
			 Devon and Cornwall 14 7 
			 Dorset 2  
			 Durham 1 1 
			 Essex 7 3 
			 Gloucestershire 1 1 
			 Greater Manchester   
			 Hampshire 1  
			 Hertfordshire 3 3 
			 Humberside   
			 Kent 1 1 
			 Lancashire 1  
			 Leicestershire 3  
			 Lincolnshire 5 3 
			 Merseyside 2 2 
			 Metropolitan Police 66 54 
			 Norfolk 5 7 
			 North Yorkshire 9 1 
			 Northamptonshire 3  
			 Northumbria 6 4 
			 Nottinghamshire 5 1 
			 South Yorkshire 1  
			 Staffordshire 4 2 
			 Suffolk   
			 Surrey 1 1 
			 Sussex 2  
			 Thames Valley 1 1 
			 Warwickshire   
			 West Mercia 13 9 
			 West Midlands 22 21 
			 West Yorkshire 1 1 
			 Wiltshire   
			 Dyfed-Powys   
			 Gwent   
			 North Wales 4 3 
			 South Wales   
			 England and Wales 190 130 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  (3) Includes the following Statutes: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Protection of Badgers Act 1992 Deer Act 1991 Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulation 1997 Conservation of Seals Act 1970   Source:  Court proceedings data held by RDS - Office for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice

Written Questions: Government Reponses

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to answer Question 174965 tabled on 12 December 2007.

Tony McNulty: I replied to the hon. Member on 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 606W.

Written Questions: Government Reponses

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to answer Question  (a) 162615,  (b) 162124 and  (c) 162271, tabled on 6 November 2007.

Tony McNulty: I replied to the hon. Member  (a) on 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 756W, and  (b) and  (c) on 25 March 2008,  Official Report, column 73W.

Written Questions: Government Reponses

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will answer question 182636 on the national DNA database, tabled on 24 January 2008 by the hon. Member for Cardiff Central; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: The question was answered on 3 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1318W.

Young Offenders

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pupils permanently excluded from school committed a criminal offence in each police authority area in each of the last 10 years; and what the detection rate was for crimes committed by young offenders who  (a) were and  (b) were not permanently excluded from school in each such area in each of those years.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information is not collected centrally.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Academies

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on the merits of academies for 11 to 16 year olds only.

Jim Knight: Our policy is to strongly encourage all academies to offer post-16 places because we recognise the positive impact of such provision on standards and aspirations for 11 to 16-year-olds. However, exceptionally, where the quantity and quality of local post-16 provision is very good we have agreed to the establishment of 11 to 16 academies.

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Energy Conservation

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidelines he has issued on the use of  (a) insulation standards and  (b) microgeneration technologies in (i) new and (ii) refurbished schools buildings under the new Schools Building Programme.

Jim Knight: All new and refurbished school buildings must comply with the insulation standards laid down in the Approved Document Part L2 in support of the building regulations. We have issued comprehensive guidance on how to apply low and zero carbon technologies, including microgeneration, to our school building programmes on our website:
	www.teachernet.gov.uk/carbontargets

Building Schools for the Future Programme: West Sussex

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when West Sussex will have access to the Building Schools for the Future funding stream.

Jim Knight: holding answer 3 April 2008
	Building Schools for the Future aims to renew all secondary school in England where there is need in 15 waves of investment which started in 2005-06. In early 2005, we announced the national programme for Building Schools for the Future, based on the expressions of interest for inclusion in the programme which authorities proposed. Expressions of interest include how authorities group their schools into geographically coherent projects. These projects were prioritised on the average social and educational need of the schools in them. Information on the national programme is available in the Parliamentary libraries. West Sussex proposed three projects, which are prioritised in waves 10 to 15. Later this year, when we have consulted on management of the later waves of the programme, we will invite authorities to revise their expressions of interest if they wish.

Children in Care: Missing Persons

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government plan to take to address trends in the number of children going missing while in care.

Beverley Hughes: In 2002 the Government published 'Children Missing from care and from homea guide to good practice'. This guidance was issued along with Circular LAC (2002)17 under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, requiring local authorities to comply with it. The guidance sets out how local authorities and their partner agencies are expected to respond when young people go missing from their care placements. It includes information about measures that local authorities should put in place to prevent children from going missing as well as on reporting incidents. One of its requirements is that each local authority must appoint a designated senior manager to be responsible for monitoring missing from care incidents to identify any trends and to instigate any action necessary to respond to children's needs ensuring that they are properly safeguarded.
	On 26 March we published 'Care Matters: Time to deliver for children in care'. This sets out our intention to update and re-issue guidance to the Children Act 1989 and subsequent legislation. As part of this process we will be reviewing our 2002 guidance. This will provide us with the opportunity to consider whether in future we should include more information about how local authorities carry out their responsibilities to monitor any patterns and trends relating to children going missing from their care placements.

Children: Abuse

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many times reasonable chastisement has been used as a defence in court cases involving violence against children in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: This information has not been collected centrally and is therefore not available for each of the last 10 years as requested. However, since July 2007 the Crown Prosecution Service area offices have been notifying the Crown Prosecution Service's Policy Directorate of any cases in which the reasonable punishment defence has been used. To date no such cases have been notified.

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of managers of day care settings who were male in  (a) Basingstoke,  (b) Hampshire and  (c) England in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: Data are not available on the sex of managers of full day care.
	The 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey estimated that the average proportion of male staff working in full day care settings in England was 2 per cent. In total, there were 2,500 male staff working in full day care settings in England.
	The average proportion of male staff working in full day care settings in England for each year available is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Male staff working in full day care settings in England 
			   Average proportion of male staff per setting (percentage)  Total number of male staff 
			 2001 2 1,900 
			 2003 2 2,000 
			 2005 2 2,500 
			 2006 2 2,500 
		
	
	Data are not available at local authority level.

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the average number of hours worked per week by  (a) childcarers in maintained settings,  (b) childcarers in private, voluntary and independent nurseries and  (c) childminders in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: The Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey estimated that staff working in full day care in children's centres worked an average (mean) of 34 hours a week in 2006, compared with an average of 17 hours a week for staff in sessional settings. Data for all childcare and early years providers for each year available are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Average number of hours worked per week by staff in child care and early years provision in maintained schools 
			   2003  2005  2006 
			 Full day care 35 32 33 
			 Full day care in children's centres n/a n/a 34 
			 Sessional 17 18 17 
			 After school clubs 19 n/a 19 
			 Holiday clubs 31.5 n/a 27 
			 Nursery schools 32.5 n/a 32 
			 Primary schools with nursery and reception classes 33 n/a 31 
			 Primary schools with reception but no nursery classes 28 n/a 30 
			  Notes:  1. Children's centres were included in the survey for the first time in 2006; therefore data is not available for previous years.  2. After school and holiday clubs were sampled differently in 2005 and comparable figures for this year are not available.  3. Early years settings in maintained schools were not included in the 2005 survey. 
		
	
	In 2006 full day care staff in privately owned settings worked an average of 35 hours a week, compared with 26 hours for full day care staff in settings under voluntary ownership. 2006 data for all child care providers available are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Average number of hours worked per week by staff in child care providers, by ownership of setting, 2006 
			   Private  Voluntary  Local authority  School/college  Other 
			 Full day care 35 26 32 33 35 
			 Full day care in children's centres 35 34 34 34 35 
			 Sessional 17 16 20 25 15 
			 Out of school care 26 20 25 19 27 
			  Note: Data for other providers are not available by type of ownership. 
		
	
	The 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey estimated that childminders looked after children for an average of 16 hours a week in term time, and for 23 hours a week in school holidays. Data for each year available are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Average number of hours childminders looked after children 
			   Term time  School holidays 
			 2005 17 25 
			 2006 16 23 
			  Note:  The wording in the childminders survey was changed in 2005; therefore comparable data for previous years is not available.

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of  (a) private, voluntary and independent nurseries and  (b) childminders received funding from local authorities to deliver the free entitlement in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: The available information is shown in the table.
	The table provides information about the number of private, voluntary and independent providers delivering a free early education to three and four-year-olds in England. Data is provided for 2004 to 2007 only because data for 2003 is not available.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release (SFR) 19/2007 Provision for children under five years of age in England: January 2007, available on my Department's website
	www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/
	
		
			  Number of private, voluntary and independent providers delivering a free early education to three and four-year-olds: January each year 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 England 19,940 20,100 20,800 20,430 
			  
			  North East 450 470 470 460 
			 Darlington 25 25 25 25 
			 Durham 75 75 80 80 
			 Gateshead 45 50 45 45 
			 Hartlepool 10 15 15 10 
			 Middlesbrough 20 25 30 25 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 75 75 75 75 
			 North Tyneside 25 25 25 30 
			 Northumberland 85 85 85 90 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 15 15 15 10 
			 South Tyneside 10 10 15 15 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 25 30 30 25 
			 Sunderland 30 35 30 30 
			  
			  North West 2,365 2,390 2,480 2,455 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 50 45 50 45 
			 Blackpool 55 55 55 55 
			 Bolton 85 80 90 85 
			 Bury 55 55 65 65 
			 Cheshire 330 335 345 345 
			 Cumbria 165 175 185 185 
			 Halton 55 50 55 50 
			 Knowsley 15 15 15 20 
			 Lancashire 460 465 475 485 
			 Liverpool 125 125 130 130 
			 Manchester 115 115 120 120 
			 Oldham 90 100 95 95 
			 Rochdale 90 90 90 85 
			 Salford 55 65 65 70 
			 Sefton 75 70 75 75 
			 St. Helens 55 55 55 50 
			 Stockport 80 85 90 85 
			 Tameside 50 50 55 50 
			 Trafford 75 80 80 85 
			 Warrington 70 75 70 75 
			 Wigan 100 95 90 85 
			 Wirral 120 125 130 120 
			  
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 1,615 1,625 1,715 1,670 
			 Barnsley 50 55 60 60 
			 Bradford 125 130 135 125 
			 Calderdale 90 90 95 105 
			 Doncaster 55 70 70 70 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 130 110 130 125 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 55 55 55 60 
			 Kirklees 175 180 190 180 
			 Leeds 175 180 185 180 
			 North East Lincolnshire 50 45 45 40 
			 North Lincolnshire 55 60 60 60 
			 North Yorkshire 305 295 320 305 
			 Rotherham 55 60 55 55 
			 Sheffield 140 140 150 150 
			 Wakefield 60 70 65 60 
			 York 90 90 100 95 
			  
			  East Midlands 1,715 1,770 1,810 1,795 
			 Derby 65 70 70 70 
			 Derbyshire 285 275 285 285 
			 Leicester 105 115 125 120 
			 Leicestershire 340 355 350 350 
			 Lincolnshire 285 300 305 300 
			 Northamptonshire 285 305 320 320 
			 Nottingham 70 75 75 75 
			 Nottinghamshire 245 250 255 255 
			 Rutland 25 25 30 25 
			  
			  West Midlands 1,940 1,940 2,070 2,015 
			 Birmingham 330 335 360 340 
			 Coventry 100 105 105 110 
			 Dudley 85 85 85 80 
			 Herefordshire 105 105 100 100 
			 Sandwell 40 45 45 50 
			 Shropshire 175 170 175 170 
			 Solihull 65 70 70 75 
			 Staffordshire 340 300 375 370 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 60 65 70 65 
			 Telford and Wrekin 60 65 70 60 
			 Walsall 30 30 35 35 
			 Warwickshire 235 240 240 240 
			 Wolverhampton 30 30 40 35 
			 Worcestershire 285 290 295 285 
			  
			  East of England 2,520 2,535 2,590 2,550 
			 Bedfordshire 180 185 185 175 
			 Cambridgeshire 295 305 305 300 
			 Essex 620 640 640 635 
			 Hertfordshire 430 455 460 465 
			 Luton 60 65 60 60 
			 Norfolk 380 340 385 365 
			 Peterborough 95 95 100 95 
			 Southend-on-Sea 80 65 75 70 
			 Suffolk 335 335 335 325 
			 Thurrock 50 50 50 50 
			  
			  London 2,570 2,530 2,705 2,620 
			  Inner London 1,025 960 1,070 1,015 
			 City 5 5 5 5 
			 Camden 90 80 85 85 
			 Hackney 85 90 95 85 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 65 65 65 65 
			 Haringey 55 70 70 70 
			 Islington 80 75 75 75 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 45 50 45 45 
			 Lambeth 100 75 110 105 
			 Lewisham too 85 105 95 
			 Newham 55 55 60 55 
			 Southwark 95 100 100 95 
			 Tower Hamlets 55 55 55 50 
			 Wandsworth 130 110 130 125 
			 Westminster 60 50 60 55 
			  Outer London 1,545 1,570 1,635 1,605 
			 Barking and Dagenham 25 30 30 35 
			 Barnet 120 115 120 115 
			 Bexley 60 65 65 65 
			 Brent 80 85 85 85 
			 Bromley 160 150 170 160 
			 Croydon 130 135 140 140 
			 Ealing 95 100 105 100 
			 Enfield 95 100 105 105 
			 Greenwich 60 65 65 65 
			 Harrow 75 80 75 75 
			 Havering 85 90 90 95 
			 Hillingdon 80 70 70 75 
			 Hounslow 65 70 70 70 
			 Kingston upon Thames 45 50 50 50 
			 Merton 55 60 65 60 
			 Redbridge 75 80 80 80 
			 Richmond upon Thames 100 100 105 100 
			 Sutton 70 70 70 65 
			 Waltham Forest 70 70 75 70 
			  
			  South East 4,065 4,160 4,190 4,160 
			 Bracknell Forest 50 50 50 50 
			 Brighton and Hove 95 105 110 115 
			 Buckinghamshire 260 270 270 270 
			 East Sussex 270 270 260 255 
			 Hampshire 660 660 655 655 
			 Isle of Wight 60 60 60 60 
			 Kent 725 710 710 730 
			 Medway 125 130 125 115 
			 Milton Keynes 110 110 110 110 
			 Oxfordshire 330 340 345 335 
			 Portsmouth 85 85 90 90 
			 Reading 50 55 55 55 
			 Slough 20 20 20 20 
			 Southampton 80 95 90 90 
			 Surrey 545 560 565 555 
			 West Berkshire 75 80 80 80 
			 West Sussex 390 425 440 430 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 70 70 75 75 
			 Wokingham 70 70 70 70 
			  
			  South West 2,700 2,680 2,765 2,700 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 90 85 85 85 
			 Bournemouth 75 80 85 85 
			 Bristol, City of 115 135 135 130 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 275 275 295 285 
			 Devon 405 395 395 400 
			 Dorset 210 215 215 210 
			 Gloucestershire 380 380 385 365 
			 North Somerset 95 100 100 100 
			 Plymouth 115 110 110 110 
			 Poole 65 50 55 55 
			 Somerset 320 300 340 320 
			 South Gloucestershire 140 130 140 140 
			 Swindon 75 80 80 80 
			 Torbay 45 45 40 40 
			 Wiltshire 290 295 295 290 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 5  Source:  Early Years Census

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance his Department gives local authorities to promote the childcare sustainability grant to childcare providers.

Beverley Hughes: The Department's statutory guidance, Securing Sufficient Childcare, which was distributed to local authorities in summer 2007, contains examples of circumstances in which they should consider providing financial support from the Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant for childcare providers. While it is for local authorities to decide their own priorities for funding providers, and how they publicise the availability of funding, the guidance makes clear the need to demonstrate transparency and fairness.
	Local authorities are told that they
	should ensure that appropriate criteria are in place for deciding which providers should receive support, and that funding systems treat providers in all sectors of the market equitably.

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department allocates to each local authority for the childcare sustainability grant; and what indicators are used to assess how much each local authority should receive in respect of the grant.

Beverley Hughes: In the 2006-08 period, funding for this activity was included as part of Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant which covered not only child care sustainability but support for early years outcomes, quality and inclusion. A number of different factors were used to determine the allocations, including numbers of children, deprivation measures, Ofsted registered stock figures, and rurality measures. In addition, for the 2008-11 period, an inflationary uplift was added to this wider allocation block above and the resulting funding was split equally between child care sufficiency and access and early years outcomes, quality and inclusion. These funding streams sit within the wider revenue block of the Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant and the overall allocations were smoothed to ensure that each authority received a minimum increase of 5 per cent.
	The 2008-09 allocations, by authority, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant: Childcare Sufficiency and Access Funding, 2008-09 
			
			 Barking and Dagenham 406,977 
			 Barnet 791,906 
			 Barnsley 540,409 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 371,612 
			 Bedfordshire 910,435 
			 Bexley 503,471 
			 Birmingham 2,819,672 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 766,870 
			 Blackpool 349,044 
			 Bolton 702,894 
			 Bournemouth 391,687 
			 Bracknell Forest 256,045 
			 Bradford 1,282,566 
			 Brent 597,230 
			 Brighton and Hove 567,103 
			 Bristol 976,036 
			 Bromley 740,285 
			 Buckinghamshire 1,254,645 
			 Bury 531,676 
			 Calderdale 551,502 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,467,051 
			 Camden 500,316 
			 Cheshire 1,579,483 
			 City of London 89,607 
			 Cornwall 1,061,627 
			 Coventry 810,119 
			 Croydon 840,075 
			 Cumbria 973,830 
			 Darlington 280,965 
			 Derby 602,785 
			 Derbyshire 1,574,419 
			 Devon 1,466,131 
			 Doncaster 691,640 
			 Dorset 720,426 
			 Dudley 655,626 
			 Durham 1,131,249 
			 Ealing 741,495 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 682,454 
			 East Sussex 1,062,222 
			 Enfield 602,110 
			 Essex 2,916,612 
			 Gateshead 505,540 
			 Gloucestershire 1,349,268 
			 Greenwich 638,101 
			 Hackney 663,740 
			 Halton 585,708 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 383,577 
			 Hampshire 2,924,575 
			 Haringey 561,050 
			 Harrow 444,783 
			 Hartlepool 300,336 
			 Havering 484,970 
			 Herefordshire 391,717 
			 Hertfordshire 2,687,393 
			 Hillingdon 578,208 
			 Hounslow 513,755 
			 Isle of Wight 301,393 
			 Isles of Scilly 67,485 
			 Islington 579,570 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 386,679 
			 Kent 3,079,754 
			 Kingston upon Hull 593,823 
			 Kingston upon Thames 362,413 
			 Kirklees 1,041,375 
			 Knowsley 446,859 
			 Lambeth 748,965 
			 Lancashire 2,748,524 
			 Leeds 1,716,504 
			 Leicester City 809,577 
			 Leicestershire 1,367,999 
			 Lewisham 710,780 
			 Lincolnshire 1,370,260 
			 Liverpool 1,124,985 
			 Luton 517,813 
			 Manchester 1,120,447 
			 Medway 567,324 
			 Merton 441,959 
			 Middlesbrough 557,832 
			 Milton Keynes 597,734 
			 NE Lincolnshire 425,160 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 669,703 
			 Newham 854,138 
			 Norfolk 1,581,566 
			 North Lincolnshire 351,449 
			 North Somerset 459,330 
			 North Tyneside 445,466 
			 North Yorkshire 1,302,625 
			 Northamptonshire 1,584,537 
			 Northumberland 704,945 
			 Nottingham City 670,369 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,676,706 
			 Oldham 616,635 
			 Oxfordshire 1,522,554 
			 Peterborough 516,738 
			 Plymouth 600,584 
			 Poole 296,946 
			 Portsmouth 499,713 
			 Reading 372,658 
			 Redbridge 537,595 
			 Redcap and Cleveland 509,609 
			 Richmond upon Thames 441,101 
			 Rochdale 577,312 
			 Rotherham 577,665 
			 Rutland 138,736 
			 Salford 555,569 
			 Sandwell 665,165 
			 Sefton 610,600 
			 Sheffield 1,188,059 
			 Shropshire 676,628 
			 Slough 324,548 
			 Solihull 562,854 
			 Somerset 1,162,040 
			 South Gloucestershire 636,318 
			 South Tyneside 570,524 
			 Southampton 515,286 
			 Southend 399,405 
			 Southwark 860,074 
			 St. Helens 493,513 
			 Staffordshire 1,967,330 
			 Stockport 624,846 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 467,888 
			 Stoke on Trent 668,842 
			 Suffolk 1,547,758 
			 Sunderland 917,188 
			 Surrey 2,518,131 
			 Sutton 445,871 
			 Swindon 497,421 
			 Tameside 550,028 
			 Telford and the Wrekin 446,962 
			 Thurrock 363,322 
			 Torbay 336,661 
			 Tower Hamlets 752,138 
			 Trafford 507,372 
			 Wakefield 703,744 
			 Walsall 610,569 
			 Waltham Forest 577,321 
			 Wandsworth 615,646 
			 Warrington 554,554 
			 Warwickshire 1,210,685 
			 West Berkshire 398,313 
			 West Sussex 1,689,972 
			 Westminster 406,986 
			 Wigan 684,213 
			 Wiltshire 1,079,461 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 366,393 
			 Wirral 793,175 
			 Wokingham 362,337 
			 Wolverhampton 598,033 
			 Worcestershire 1,325,067 
			 York 349,363

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what criteria providers must fulfil to gain access to funding from the local authority child care sustainability grant; and how much from the grant has been allocated to  (a) maintained child care settings and  (b) private, voluntary and independent child care providers in each local authority since its inception.

Beverley Hughes: The Memorandum of Grant which sets out the funding and payment arrangements for the Sure Start, early years and child care grant makes it clear to local authorities that a key objective of the grant is to support child care sufficiency and access, and contains brief guidance on activities that the funding is intended to help.
	Local authorities have considerable discretion in choosing which child care providers to help in the light of local circumstances, and the Securing Sufficient Childcare statutory guidance contains some specific examples of situations in which they should consider making financial support available to providers.
	The Department does not collect information on the allocations of funding from local authorities to individual child care providers within their areas.

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average level of funding given by each local authority to  (a) private, voluntary and independent nurseries,  (b) maintained childcare settings and  (c) childminders in order to provide 2.5 hours of childcare a day was in each of the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: Funding for nursery education provision is provided for local authorities through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). Local authoritiesin consultation with their School Forumsare responsible for determining the level of funding for early years providers in all sectors delivering the free early education entitlement.
	The Department published local authorities' estimates of the average per pupil amount allocated by local authorities to maintained providers and to private, voluntary and independent sector providers for delivery of the free entitlement early years provision in August 2007. The Free Entitlement to Early Years Provision Table for 2007-08 can be found on the DCSF website at
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/localauthorities/section52/subPage.cfm?action=section52.defaultID=87

Children: Injuries

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to establish inter-agency co-operation on a common system for child injury  (a) surveillance and  (b) data capture and storage; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Department has worked across Government to co-ordinate the cross-Government Staying Safe Action Plan which was published on 5 February 2008. The report can be downloaded from www.ecm.gov.uk/stayingsafe and a copy is available in the House Library. Delivery of the action plan will be underpinned by the new Public Service Agreement to improve children and young people's safety, which includes an indicator measuring emergency hospital admissions caused by unintentional and deliberate injuries to children aged up to 18 years. The same indicator is included in the new National Indicator Set for Local Government, so data will also be collected at local level. This indicator will help us to assess the extent of accidental injuries to children and young people. In the Staying Safe: Action Plan, we set out new a commitment to carry out a priority review of local area accident prevention, which will make a number of recommendations about how accident prevention work might be improved. I will ensure that both other Departments and external stakeholders are involved in this review.

Children: Mental Health

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effects of implementation of section 120 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 on the care and supervision of children who have suffered impairment as a result of witnessing domestic violence.

Kevin Brennan: For private law child proceedings when parents come to court for an order to determine the child's primary residence or the frequency of contact with a non-resident parent, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) introduced a new process in 2005. This means that when making an application for a child contact/residence order, allegations of domestic violence are expected to be raised at the point of the application. Courts are now required to consider whether any incidents of domestic violencenot just from direct violence but also witnessing violencehave had an adverse impact on the child, or might affect the child in the future.
	An evaluation of this new system was commissioned by the MOJ. The report, 'Domestic Violence and the Supplemental Information Form C1A: evaluation of the use and effects of the introduction of the form into the Family Courts' was published on 11 December 2007 [MoJ 17/07]. It confirmed that the new arrangements are providing an improved mechanism that enables domestic violence and associated harm to parents and children to be recognised at an early point in proceedings.
	In public law child proceedings where local authorities apply for care or supervision orders, domestic violence concerns are a feature of about 50 per cent. of cases, though there is usually a range of other concerns, such as child abuse and alcohol or substance misuse.

Children: Video Games

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government plan to take to protect children from unsuitable and offensive computer games.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 3 April 2008
	I have been asked to reply
	Children are already protected from unsuitable material in computer games by classification systems. Material which is grossly violent or sexual must be classified by the British Board of Film Classification, and it is an offence to supply it to someone who does not meet the age requirement.
	Additionally, as part of her review on harmful internet content and games Dr. Tanya Byron has made some recommendations on measures that strengthen these arrangements. She proposes lowering the statutory requirement to classify video games to 12+, so that it is the same as film classification and easier for parents to understand; issuing clear and consistent guidance for industry on how games should be advertised and challenging industry to provide sustained and high profile efforts to increase parents' understanding of age ratings and improved parental controls.
	Dr. Byron is clear that before any changes are implemented, there is a need for a consultation exercise on what exactly the changes should be. Government are committed to that public consultation, and there will be a chance for everyone to contribute once the consultation is under way.

Citizenship: Curriculum

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of schools were judged by Ofsted to have adequate citizenship teaching in each year from 2003 to 2007.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector Christine Gilbert has written to the hon. Member, and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 2 April 2008:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for reply.
	Between 2002 and 2005 in secondary schools and between 2003 and 2005 in primary schools, inspectors made an overall judgement about the quality of teaching in citizenship. These judgements were made using a seven point scale: excellent, very good, good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, poor and very poor. The information is presented in the table attached.
	From September 2005, Ofsted stopped specific subject reporting in Section 5 school inspections. Since then, Ofsted has inspected citizenship in a sample of schools. In the lessons observed that were mainly focused on citizenship objectives, teaching was generally good. Often, however, this was because of the good generic skills of teachers and there were weaknesses in specialist aspects of teaching such as dealing with topical and controversial issues. In some schools, the benefits of specialist training were apparent in the quality of the teaching. In approaching one in five of the schools, teaching was unsatisfactory, with weak subject knowledge evident. Important aspects of teaching citizenship, such as discussion, were limited. Sometimes teachers made links from other subjects to citizenship that were insubstantial and failed to add up to a sensible curriculum overall. In some of the schools where teaching was weaker, this was because it was taught by large non-specialist teams; and in some of these schools a decision had been made to move to greater specialism.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
	
		
			  Table 1: Quality of teaching of citizenship in primary and secondary schools, percentage of schools 
			Percentage 
			   Total number of inspections  Excellent  Very good  Good  Satisfactory  Unsatisfactory  Poor  Very poor 
			  Primary schools 
			 2004/05 90 1 25 64 9 1 0 0 
			 2003/04 128 3 15 66 16 0 0 0 
			 2002/03 
			  
			  Secondary Schools 
			 2004/05 378 0 6 48 39 6 1 0 
			 2003/04 485 0 6 46 40 8 0 0 
			 2002/03 169 1 7 45 46 1 0 0

Commonwealth Youth Ministerial Meeting

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what ministerial presence there will be at the Commonwealth Youth Ministerial meeting in Sri Lanka.

Beverley Hughes: No UK Minister is able to attend the Commonwealth Youth Ministers' Conference in Sri Lanka this month. The UK delegation will be headed by Gordon Blakely, Director, Youth, British Council.

Departmental Advertising

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which of his Department's initiatives and those of its predecessor were advertised to the public in each of the last 10 years; and what the cost of each such campaign was in each year.

Kevin Brennan: Promotional campaigns, including those using advertising, are funded from the Department's central Advertising and Publicity Budget and from individual programme budgets held by policy directorates.
	Government policies and programmes affect the lives of millions of people and in order for them to work they must be communicated effectively. But that also has to be done with cost efficiency in mind and there are strict rules to ensure value for money on Government advertising.
	Spend on advertising on departmental initiatives since 2002/03 financial year is set out in the following tables. It is not possible to provide information prior to 2002 except at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  2002/03 
			  Campaign  Spend () 
			 Childcare Recruitment Year 3 2,741,377 
			 Aim Higher Year 2 2,649,999 
			 Foundation Degree 549,397 
			 Connexions 1,320,331 
			 SATS Online 15,260 
			 Adult Basic Skills 5,478,117 
			 DFES UCAS Campaign 100,000 
			 Truancy 2,750 
			 14-19 Paper Results 16,366 
			 HE Funding 655,000 
			 Millennium Volunteers MTV Promotion 111,925 
			 Childcare Recruitment Ethnic 50,000 
		
	
	
		
			  2003/04 
			  Campaign  Spend () 
			 Adult Basic Skills 6,673,224 
			 Key Stage 3 Booster 30,000 
			 Aim Higher Re-Pitch 7,631 
			 Naming Project for Science Learning Centre 2,599 
			 Gremlin Materials for Northern Ireland 9,462 
			 School Tests 28,371 
			 Adult Basic Skills 5,123,038 
			 Childcare Recruitment 2,986,659 
			 Connexions 2,608,005 
			 Aim Higher 3,400,475 
			 UCAS Learning 150,000 
			 Foundation Degrees 2,813,787 
			 Parents Week Featurelink 93,901 
			 Aim HigherStudent Support Finance 789,543 
			 Fast Track Teachers 309,792 
		
	
	
		
			  2004/05 
			  Campaign  Spend () 
			 EMA 2,702,387 
			 Adult Basic Skills Miscellaneous 1,856 
			 Sure Start Month 132,796 
			 Adult Basic Skills Gremlins 5,872,028 
			 Teenage Pregnancy (DFES) 1,086,677 
			 Student Finance 1,223,870 
			 EMA Summer Activity 309,012 
			 Fast Track Teaching 72,595 
			 Gremlins for Northern Ireland 2,548 
			 Foundation Degrees 556,286 
			 Childcare 294,600 
			 EMA 1,500,000 
			 Need to Know 400,000 
			 Parents Centre 181,594 
		
	
	
		
			  2005/06 
			  Campaign  Spend () 
			 Sure Start 2,645 
			 EMA 1,499,311 
			 Teenage Pregnancy 1,497,096 
			 Childcare Recruitment 660,523 
			 Adult Basic SkillsGremlins 1,668,802 
			 Adult Basic SkillsGremlins Miscellaneous 147,603 
			 Student Finance 3,270,787 
			 Parents Centre 149,462 
			 ABS Gremlins Ireland 2,247 
			 Every Child Matters Press Advertising 2,074 
			 Parenting Pilot 120,000 
			 Foundation Degrees 868,963 
			 Fast Track Teaching 18,504 
			 Parenting Franchise (Direct Gov Launch) 517,843 
			 Education  LearningLaunch Campaign 204,134 
			 Need to Know 117,206 
		
	
	
		
			  2006/07 
			  Campaign  Spend () 
			 Student Finance 3,068,536 
			 Adult Basic Skills 1,934,912 
			 Teenage Pregnancy 1,674,906 
			 Childcare Recruitment 424,048 
			 Children and Young People's Workforce Insert 45,803 
			 Parents Direct Pilot 30,000 
			 DrugsFrank 252,018 
		
	
	
		
			  2007/08 
			  Campaign  Spend () 
			 Teenage Pregnancy 1,630,078 
			 Skills Pledge 34,978 
			 Childcare 136,289 
			 Diplomas 2,908,031 
			 Student Finance 2,592,880 
			 City Challenge 53,007 
			 Modern Foreign Languages 345,080 
			 Children's Plan Launch 125,759 
			 STEM Subjects 9,059 
			 National Year of Reading 3,701

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by Senior Civil Service staff in his Department and its agencies in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: Travel and subsistence (reimbursable expenses) are claimed and authorised online via the Department's Integrated Financial Information System and are recorded under the general heading of subsistence. To extract the financial data requested would involve disproportionate cost.
	All expenditure is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting. All travel undertaken by DCSF civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code. The Department does not have any Executive Agencies.

Departmental Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the hourly rates of pay of all non-permanent staff working for his Department were in each of the last 12 months; and how many staff were receiving each rate in each of those months.

Kevin Brennan: The Department was established on 28 June 2007. The average hourly rate paid by my Department to employment agencies for agency staff in the financial year 2007-08 is set out as follows.
	
		
			   
			   Average hourly charge rate 
			  Grade  Adecco  Hays  Reed 
			 AA(1) 8.65   
			 AO(1) 10.64   
			 EA(1)  8.48 9.86 
			 EO 14.42 15.49 12.13 
			 Pers Sec 15.64   
			 Snr Pers Sec 16.38   
			 HEO 18.82 20.45 14.82 
			 SEO  24.66 18.10 
			 (1) Grades AA and AO have now been replaced by EA. 
		
	
	The number of agency staff working in my Department from 1 July 2007 to 31 January 2008 by grade and month is shown as follows.
	
		
			  Adecco 
			   AA  AO  EO  Pers Sec  Snr Pers Sec  HEO 
			 July 2007 9 2 0 1 5 3 
			 August 2007 7 10 1 0 6 3 
			 September 2007 4 11 1 0 2 3 
			 October 2007 2 1 1 0 0 3 
			 November 2007 1 0 1 0 0 0 
			 December 2007 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 January 2008 0 0 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Hays 
			   EA  EO  HEO  SEO 
			 September 2007 2 1 1 0 
			 October 2007 6 2 1 0 
			 November 2007 23 1 0 0 
			 December 2007 16 4 1 0 
			 January 2008 21 5 3 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Reed 
			   EA  EO  HEO  SEO 
			 September 2007 1 1 0 0 
			 October 2007 4 1 3 1 
			 November 2007 11 4 1 0 
			 December 2007 11 3 3 0 
			 January 2008 24 3 3 0

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of staff in his Department were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years.

Kevin Brennan: In February 2007, there were 33 members of staff making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay, representing 0.9 per cent. of the total number of staff employed by the Department.
	In February 2008, the number of staff making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay was reduced to 22 people, representing 0.8 per cent. of total number of staff employed by the Department.

Departmental Sustainable Development

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department is working towards an accredited certified environmental management system  (a) for its whole estate and  (b) in some of its buildings.

Kevin Brennan: The Department is working towards an ISO 14001:2004 accredited environmental system for all its headquarters buildings.

Departmental Video-Conferencing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will set a target to increase the use of video-conferencing by his Department to reduce the need to travel to meetings.

Kevin Brennan: We have no target to increase the use of video-conferencing by this Department to reduce the need to travel to meetings, but actively encourage staff to use video links for meetings involving staff from different sites rather than travel to a central point.

Education: Devon

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much he has allocated to  (a) expand facilities for 16 to 19 year-old learners and  (b) deliver learning and skills for adults in East Devon to meet his targets in each case.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The 2008-09 Grant Letter to the Learning and Skills Council sets out a record level of investment for post- 16 education and training over the next three years, with some 11.5 billion in 2008-09, rising to over 12 billion in 2009-10, and over 12.5 billion in 2010-11. This investment includes year-on-year increases in capital funding, and will ensure that we can continue to deliver a significant improvement in participation and attainment across all areas of the country, giving both young people and adults the skills and qualifications they need to succeed.
	Decisions about allocations to specific areas are made by the LSC, based on overall learner numbers and strategic discussions with local partners about the range of provision that is needed. The allocations process for 2008/09 is currently under way, and Mark Haysom, the chief executive of the LSC, wrote to the hon. Member setting out the funding allocations for East Devon as soon as they were confirmed. A copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 9 April 2008:
	I refer to your recent question to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to which I was asked to respond setting out the LSC funding allocations for 16-19 learning and to deliver learning and skills for adults in East Devon.
	Please find below the allocations in respect of school sixth forms in the East Devon District Council area for the 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic years. The variations in particular allocations are mostly as a result of fluctuating pupil numbers.
	
		
			  LSC funding allocations in East Devon 
			   
			  East Devon schools  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			  16 to 18
			 Clyst Vale 888,556.00 770,821.00 785,401.00 
			 Colyton Grammar 937,300.00 1,022,994.00 1,004,424.00 
			 Exmouth 1,739,903.00 1,913,518.00 1,880,666.00 
			 Honiton 704,519.00 778,898.00 619,800.00 
			 Sidmouth 594,712.00 539,415.00 488,950.00 
			 Axe Valley 510,456.00 527,646.00 445,881.00 
			 Kings Ottery 753,629.00 847,786.00 950,955.00 
			 
			 East Devon College 3,055,000.00 3,149,000.00 2,852,170.00 
			 
			 16 to 18 total 9,184,075.00 9,550,078.00 9,028,247.00 
			 
			  19+
			 East Devon College 1,564,000.00 1,497,000.00 (1) 
			 Train to Gain 190,131.00 325,560.00 (1) 
			 
			 19+ total 1,754,131.00 1,822,560.00 (2) 
			 
			 Grand total 10,938,206.00 11,372,638.00 (2) 
			 (1) No allocation yet. (2) Not yet available. 
		
	
	As you know, there are complex patterns of 16-18 learner participation in the East Devon Area with many students choosing to access courses at Richard Huish College in Taunton, Exeter College or elsewhere. The designated further education institute for the area is East Devon College in Tiverton and LSC funding information is provided for this College. The 2008-09 academic for funding is provisional at the moment but is a guaranteed minimum and, in reality, is unlikely to change. A proposal is being developed currently for North Devon and East Devon Colleges to merge on 1 August 2008.
	The allocations of LSC funding for 19+ learners at East Devon College are also included for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 academic years. The allocation for 2008-09 is not yet finalised and I will write again to notify this during the coming weeks.
	I have also included an indication of Train to Gain LSC investment in the East Devon area. A range of training providers operate in the area and respond to employers' needs for training. The figures I have quoted are notional amounts apportioned to the consortium of Exeter, East Devon and Bicton Colleges.
	Bicton College, a specialist land based FE provider, is based in the East Devon District Council area. As it draws learners from throughout the South West Region and beyond, LSC financial allocations at this College do not relate easily to investment in learning and skills in the immediate vicinity.
	However, I would be pleased to provide details of LSC investment at this College if this would help.
	The LSC also invests significantly in the delivery of apprenticeships training but financial details related to specific home postcodes of apprentices are difficult and expensive to produce. However, if this is required for apprentices who live in East Devon District Council postcode areas, it could be produced.
	I hope this information meets your requirements but please let me know if more is needed. I shall write again later in the year with details of 19+ funding allocations at East Devon College and for Train to Gain.

Education: Finance

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions he has had with the F40 group on the issue of education funding for local authorities in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: No Ministers from this Department have met the F40 group in the last 12 months. Senior officials of the Department attended and spoke at the group's national conference in late March last year and will do so again in May this year, looking at the key issues for the current review of the distribution of school funding from 2011-12. I have had occasional discussions with the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney), an office holder with F40, regarding school funding.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of schools had less than 30 per cent. of pupils obtaining five A* to C GCSEs including English and mathematics in 2007, broken down by index of multiple deprivation decile.

Jim Knight: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  IMD Decile( 1)  Total number of schools( 2)  Number of schools with less than 30% 5+A*-C inc. English and maths  Percentage of schools with less than 30% 5+A*-C inc. English and maths 
			 0-10% most deprived 259 144 55.6 
			 10-20% 309 129 41.7 
			 20-30% 301 99 32.9 
			 30-40% 336 91 27.1 
			 40-50% 351 74 21.1 
			 50-60% 305 52 17.0 
			 60-70% 330 43 13.0 
			 70-80% 297 35 11.8 
			 80-90% 322 32 9.9 
			 90-100% least deprived 304 9 3.0 
			 (1) Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2004. (2 )Including only those maintained mainstream schools with results published in the School and College Achievement and Attainment tables.  Source:  School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables 2007

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of  (a) pupils eligible for free school meals and  (b) all eligible pupils did not sit five GCSEs in 2007.

Jim Knight: A total of 32,819 pupils sat fewer than five GCSE or equivalent examinations in 2006/07. This was 5.5 per cent. of all pupils. 9,603 pupils eligible for free school meals sat fewer than five GCSE or equivalent examinations in 2006/07, This was -12.6 per cent. of pupils eligible for free schools meals.
	The figures relate to pupils in maintained schools at the end of Key Stage 4.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Disadvantaged

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils eligible for free school meals did not sit five GCSEs in 2007.

Jim Knight: A total of 9,603 pupils eligible for free school meals sat fewer than five GCSE or equivalent examinations in 2006/07. This was 12.6 per cent. of pupils eligible for free schools meals.
	The figures relate to pupils in maintained schools at the end of key stage 4.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children in Enfield North achieved more than eight A to C grades in GCSE examinations in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Jim Knight: The percentage of pupils in Enfield North who achieved more than eight A*-C grades in GCSE examinations in 1996/97 was 15.8 per cent. The figure for 2006/07 was 31.7 per cent.
	The figure for England in 1996/97 was 21.8 per cent. and the 2006/07 figure was 39.3 per cent.
	These figures relate to 15-year-olds (age at the start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August) in maintained schools. The 2006/07 figures include a wider range of qualifications (on a basis equivalent to GCSEs).

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Sunderland

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government have taken to increase the number of young people in Sunderland achieving five A* to C grades at GCSE in the last three years.

Jim Knight: The following table shows the performance of Sunderland secondary schools, compared with figures for England since 1997 and in the last three years.
	
		
			   1997  2005  2006  2007 
			   Percentage 5 A*-C  Percentage 5 A*-C incl. English and maths  Percentage 5 A*-C  Percentage 5 A*-C incl. English and maths  Percentage 5 A*-C  Percentage 5 A*-C incl. English and maths  Percentage 5 A*-C  Percentage 5 A*-C incl. English and maths 
			 England 45.1 35.6 56.3 44.3 58.5 45.3 60.8 46 
			 Sunderland 34.4 26.1 51.5 35 55 33.9 59.4 38.5 
		
	
	The general rise in secondary standards nationally and in Sunderland since 1997 may be attributed to improvements in teaching and learning, better school leadership, targeted intervention to tackle school failure, better use of pupil performance data and the ambitious targets that schools and local authorities have set for their pupils. Challenge and support through the National Secondary Strategy has also helped to raise standards in the last three years.
	As part of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget for 2008, the Government have now committed a new 200 million package, over the next three years, for a National Challenge to raise standards in secondary schools, with particular focus on schools where fewer than 30 per cent. of pupils achieve five or more good GCSEs including English and mathematics. The National Challenge programme will provide intensive support for the most vulnerable secondary schools, and will empower many head teachers of strong schools to help turn around other schools that are unable to raise low attainment. The programme will help to create new trusts and federations based on successful schools, and, in areas of greatest need, drive forward a faster expansion of the academies programme.

Government Offices for the Regions

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which of his Department's programme budgets were administered by the Government offices for the regions in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 18 March 2008
	The following grants have been made by this Department, via local government offices, over the last five years.
	 Grants paid via Regional Local Government Offices (2003-04 to 2007-08)
	Connexions grant
	Positive Activities for Young People
	Millennium Volunteers
	Transforming Youth Work Development Fund/ Transforming Youth Work Performance
	Improvement Fund
	Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act (revenue)(1)
	Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act (capital)(1)
	Youth Opportunity Fund
	Youth Capital Fund
	Children's Fund (including Partnership Networking Fund)
	Teenage Pregnancy
	ASPIRE(2)
	Children's Trust Migration Pilots(2)
	Children not in Education, Employment or Training Demonstrator Pilots(2)
	Attainment at 19
	Local Delivery
	Community Champions
	Government Office Network
	Government Office Support
	Young London Matters
	Sustainable Schools
	Quality Protects
	Education Protects
	Children Centres
	(1) Budget funded improvements in Disabled Access to Youth Service premises
	(2) Budgets only allocated to a limited number of Government Office's

Hearing-Impaired People

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what provision is made for deaf people to access services provided by his Department through call centres.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Children, Schools and Families operates a telephone inquiry service that offers a textphone/minicom service for deaf people. We also accept inquiries by email, fax and letter. The DCSF periodically contracts with suppliers to provide telephone helpline services for the public, usually in support of information campaigns; in such instances our contract stipulates that a textphone service should be provided.

JPMorgan

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department and its predecessors paid to JPMorgan in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Edward Balls: I can confirm that the Department for Children, Schools and Families and its predecessor the Department for Education and Skills have no record of any payments to a supplier JPMorgan during the last nine years. The Department does not hold data prior to financial year 1999-2000.

Ministers: Correspondence

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 892W, on Ministers: Correspondence, if he will publish the regular emails sent to local authorities by his Department in each week since 18 December 2007, including the bespoke emails containing an item of significant importance; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Past versions of the weekly departmental email to local authority (LA) directors of children's services and chief executives (the 'LA email') and the 'bespoke' emails (the 'red LA email') can be viewed via the Department's LA website. These are stored in the 'News and Communications' section of the LA website at
	www.dfes.gov.uk/localauthorities/index.cfm
	Copies of all LA emails and LA red emails sent by the Department between 18 December 2007 and 3 April 2008 have been placed in the Libraries of the House. Annex A outlines ministerial letters included in LA emails over this period for ease of reference. The LA emails generally contain policy briefings and guidance to help local authorities deliver children's services in line with their statutory responsibilities. In response to our recent survey the local authority audience overwhelmingly confirmed its appreciation for this briefing channel.
	 Annex A
	 Ministerial letters included in LA Emails 18 Dec 2007 to 3 April 2008
	 10 January 2008
	Lead Member letter on Care Proceedings Programme: The DGSF, Ministry of Justice and Welsh Assembly Ministers have written jointly to all Lead Members for Children's Services, drawing their attention to ongoing work to reduce delay in care proceedings (brought by LAs under the Children Act 1989).
	 17 January 2008
	Jim Knight letter on school admissions code.
	Announcement of short breaks pathfinder areas: letter from Ministers, Andrew Adonis and Ivan Lewis.
	 31 January 2008
	Rural School Closures: letter from Schools Minister, Jim Knight.
	Review of formula for distributing Dedicated Schools Grant: Jim Knight has launched the review of the formula for distributing the Dedicated Schools Grant from 2011-12 through a statement to Parliament.
	Call for EvidenceYouth Sector Support Arrangements: Minister Beverley Hughes officially launched a call for evidence to gather information; advice and views on the current youth sector support arrangements.
	 14 February 2008
	Raising StandardsImproving Outcomes: joint ministerial letter highlights the importance of local authorities, Jobcentre Plus, Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities developing ever stronger and more effective local partnerships, to meet the individual needs of young children and their parents.
	 21 February 2008
	Ministerial letter regarding biennial overview reports Serious Case Reviews: Kevin Brennan MP has written to all Directors of Children's Services in England and to Chairs of Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) to emphasise the importance of acting on the findings of two research reports published on 31 January 2008.
	 28 February 2008
	Improving School Attendanceletter from Kevin Brennan.
	 10 March 2008 ( r ed LA  e mail)
	Compliance with the statutory school admissions framework; The letter from Jim Knight outlines issues that have arisen due to non-compliance with the statutory schools admissions framework.
	 20 March 2008
	14-19 Diploma Gateway 2Jim Knight, Minister for Schools and Learners, announced the outcome of the Diploma Gateway 2 on 19 March.
	 3 April 2008
	Myplacemajor new investment in places for young people to go: the letter from Beverley Hughes announces the launch of myplace.
	Funding of entry training for educational psychologists. This letter from Lord Adonis to DCSs and chief executives.
	Day One Provision for excluded pupils: letter from Kevin Brennan.
	Expansion of positive activities for young people: Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families is writing to Directors of Children's Services regarding how local authorities (LAs) can work towards meeting some of their key objectives by implementing the commitment in Aiming High for Young People, to expand the provision of targeted youth activity programmes.

National Foundation for Educational Research: Publications

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps  (a) Ofsted and  (b) the Training and Development Agency for Schools have taken in response to the recommendations of the National Foundation for Educational Research report Vision versus pragmatism.

Jim Knight: These are matters for Ofsted and the Training and Development Agency for Schools. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library. A response from the Training and Development Agency for Schools will be sent to the hon. Member and placed in the Library in due course.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 31 March 2008:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	You asked what steps Ofsted has taken in response to the recommendations of the National Foundation for Educational Research report 'Vision versus pragmatism'. The question has also been passed to the Training and Development Agency for Schools so that they may reply separately.
	The NFER report 'Vision versus pragmatism' is the fifth annual report in a longitudinal research study. In summary, it recommends that Ofsted:
	take a broader view of citizenship to include whole-school and the wider community
	ensure that schools are fully aware of the guidance on citizenship in section 5 inspections and ensure that statutory requirements are met
	draw more attention to the place of citizenship in school self-evaluation and Joint Area Reviews
	continue to consult with children and young people to strengthen the student voice
	give more focus to issues of continuity and progression in citizenship.
	Ofsted already takes a broad view of citizenship. Inspectors evaluate the quality of personal development and well-being which includes school, local, and global dimensions. Additionally, schools now have a statutory duty to promote community cohesion, which came into effect on 1 September 2007. From 1 September 2008, Ofsted has a duty, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005, to report on the contribution made by schools to community cohesion. We are currently trialling our proposed approach to inspecting this aspect.
	When evaluating how well learners contribute to the community, inspectors are specifically asked to consider the development of learners' understanding of citizenship ('Using the evaluation schedule: Guidance for inspectors of schools', September 2007). The self-evaluation form requires schools to assess their compliance with statutory requirements. During inspection, aspects of citizenship are evaluated when inspectors judge the quality of the curriculum. Any non-compliance with statutory requirements is brought to the school's attention, and may be a key issue for improvement.
	Discussion with children and young people is an integral part of all inspections and their views are fully taken into account. The annual TellUs3 survey in 2008 asks children and young people for their views on their satisfaction with local services. It specifically asks them about outcomes relating to Every Child Matters, one aspect of which is their contribution to the community. The results of the survey are considered by inspectors undertaking Annual Performance Assessments and Joint Area Reviews. In 2007 over 100,000 children and young people responded to the TellUs2 survey. The Joint Annual Review programme comes to an end in 2008 and will be replaced by the Comprehensive Areas Assessment process from 2009.
	Ofsted's subject survey programme provides for the inspection of citizenship in a sample of schools and inspectors seek evidence of standards and progress. This year the survey includes a small sample of primary schools to provide evidence of the extent to which schools are following the non-statutory guidance and the resulting standards.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Children, Schools and Families and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Physical Education

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 109-10W, on Physical Education: Standards, if he will provide a breakdown of the average time spent by school children on sport by school year group;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of children in each school year group participated in at least two hours of high-quality physical education during  (a) curriculum time and  (b) curriculum time plus out of hours school sports in (i) mixed schools, (ii) all-boys schools and (iii) all-girls schools in each of the last 10 years;
	(3)  how many and what percentage of  (a) primary schools and  (b) secondary schools did not provide at least two hours of high-quality physical education during curriculum time in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: The annual PE and School Sport Survey asks questions about pupil participation in at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport and the total number of minutes spent by all pupils on curriculum PE each week. Data are not collected on time spent participating in sport. The 2006-07 survey found:
	
		
			  Total number of pupils per year group 
			   Mixed  All boys  All girls 
			 Year 1 530,562 69 109 
			 Year 2 540,746 96 115 
			 Year 3 555,170 207 208 
			 Year 4 561,356 247 264 
			 Year 5 575,384 332 299 
			 Year 6 565,081 363 298 
			 Year 7 508,770 24,656 35,327 
			 Year 8 519,929 25,570 36,156 
			 Year 9 521,648 25,947 36,460 
			 Year 10 539,966 26,362 36,692 
			 Year 11 533,571 26,143 36,287 
			 Total 5,952,183 129,992 182,215 
		
	
	
		
			   Mixed  All boys  All girls 
			 Year 1 462,896 24 50 
			 Year 2 480,341 47 57 
			 Year 3 507,140 135 121 
			 Year 4 518,596 178 171 
			 Year 5 537,098 260 200 
			 Year 6 529,290 285 195 
			 Year 7 471,582 23,526 29,624 
			 Year 8 474,525 23,923 28,222 
			 Year 9 452,472 23,394 26,002 
			 Year 10 366,704 20,513 18,691 
			 Year 11 336,515 19,963 16,169 
			 Total 5,137,159 112,248 119,502 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Mixed  All boys  All girls 
			 Year 1 87 35 46 
			 Year 2 89 49 50 
			 Year 3 91 65 58 
			 Year 4 92 72 65 
			 Year 5 93 78 67 
			 Year 6 94 79 65 
			 Year 7 93 95 84 
			 Year 8 91 94 78 
			 Year 9 87 90 71 
			 Year 10 68 78 51 
			 Year 11 63 76 45 
			 Total 86 86 66 
		
	
	Further analysis could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Data relating to the 2006-07 PE and School Sport Survey found that 31.6 per cent. of primary (5,445) and 65.4 per cent. of secondary (2,174) schools do not provide at least two hours of curriculum time PE each week, for all pupils.

Primary Education: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many primary schools were found by Ofsted to be providing inaccurate Key Stage 1 results in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) rather than Ofsted has responsibility for matters relating to the accuracy of Key Stage 1 (KS1) results. The QCA ensures the accuracy of these results through a national moderation process, which is conducted by the National Assessment Agency (NAA). local authorities (LAs) have a statutory responsibility to moderate teacher assessment judgments to ensure the accuracy and consistency of those judgments, which are informed by nationally benchmarked tests. The NAA monitors the moderation activity of LAs annually. Its audit of LA moderation has not found evidence of inaccurate KS1 results.

Primary Education: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the accuracy of Key Stage 1 results; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is responsible for maintaining standards. The QCA assures the accuracy of key stage 1 (KS1) results through a national moderation process, which is conducted by the National Assessment Agency (NAA). Local authorities (LAs) have a statutory responsibility to moderate teacher assessment judgments to ensure the accuracy and consistency of those judgments, which are informed by nationally benchmarked tests. The NAA monitors the moderation activity of LAs annually.

Primary Education: Class Sizes

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children at key stage 1 in Nottingham were taught in classes of 31 or more in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Jim Knight: The information can be found in the following table, Owing to local government reorganisation, figures prior to 1999 for 'City of Nottingham' local authority are not available.
	These figures can be found in the Statistical First Release 'Schools and Pupils in England: January 2007 (Final)', which is available on the Department's website here:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000744/index.shtml
	
		
			   Number of KS1 pupils taught in classes of 31 or more  Percentage of pupils taught in classes of 31 or more 
			 1999 678 8.3 
			 2007 190 3.0

Primary Education: Class Sizes

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many primary school classes of over  (a) 25 and  (b) 20 pupils there were in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The requested information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary schools( 1) : number of classes( 2) January 2007, England 
			   Number of classes taught 
			   By one teacher  By more than one teacher 
			 20 to 24 pupils 28,648 903 
			 25 and over pupils 99,881 5,647 
			 Total 20 and over pupils 128,529 6,550 
			 (1) Includes middle deemed primary schools. (2) Classes as taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the Census in January.

Primary Education: Class Sizes

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many primary school classes of  (a) over 30,  (b) over 25 and  (c) over 20 pupils there were in 1996-97.

Jim Knight: The requested information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary schools( 1) : number of classes( 2) January each year 1997 and 2007, England 
			   Number of classes taught 
			  Size of class  By one teacher  By more than one teacher 
			  1997   
			 Over 20 pupils 134,150 7,840 
			 Over 25 pupils 104,950 6,740 
			 Over 30 pupils 40,830 3,330 
			  2007   
			 Over 20 pupils 124,800 6,440 
			 Over 25 pupils 90,740 5,330 
			 Over 30 pupils 16,400 1,740 
			 (1) Includes middle deemed primary schools, (2) Classes as taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the Census in January.  Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census

Private Education: Per Capita Costs

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what projections he has made of the amount of funding per capita at independent day schools in each of the next 10 years for the purposes of providing equivalent funding per maintained pupil.

Jim Knight: The Department does not make projections of funding per capita at independent day schools. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 28 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 170-72W, to the hon. Member for Beverley and Holderness (Mr. Stuart), showing independent day school average annual day fees for the five years to 2006-07.

Pupil Exclusions

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils received permanent exclusions for the category of one-off offences, broken down by offence, in  (a) primary non-academy schools,  (b) primary academy schools,  (c) secondary non-academy schools and  (d) secondary academy schools in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: The numbers of permanent and fixed period exclusions by reason are published annually by the Department in the Statistical First Release 'DCSF: Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools and Exclusion Appeals in England', the latest of available data cover the school academic year 2005/06 which can be accessed at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000733/index.shtml
	There are 12 categories describing the various reasons for exclusion and these are detailed in the following table. The reason for exclusion was not collected for primary schools in the academic year 2005/06. Analysis of academies by reason for exclusion has not been published and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Maintained secondary schools( 1,2) : Number and percentage of permanent and fixed period exclusions by reason for exclusionEngland, 2005/06 
			   Number of permanent exclusions( 3)  Percentage of all permanent exclusions( 3,)( )( 4)  Number of fixed period exclusions  Percentage of all fixed period exclusions( 4) 
			 Physical assault against a pupil 1,260 16 62,670 18 
			 Physical assault against an adult 740 9 8,240 2 
			 Verbal abuse/ threatening behaviour against a pupil 330 4 12,730 4 
			 Verbal abuse/ threatening behaviour against an adult 900 11 79,370 23 
			 Bullying 80 1 5,270 2 
			 Racist abuse 30 0 3,370 1 
			 Sexual misconduct 110 1 2,620 1 
			 Drug and alcohol related 450 6 8,360 2 
			 Damage 170 2 9,390 3 
			 Theft 220 3 7,770 2 
			 Persistent disruptive behaviour 2,370 30 72,340 21 
			 Other 1,340 17 71,720 21 
			 Total(5) 7,990 100 343,840 100 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) For the 2005/06 school year, information on the reason for exclusion was collected via the School Census for the first time for secondary schools only (the Termly Exclusions Survey has discontinued). For exclusions during 2006/07, information on the reason for exclusion will also be collected from primary and special schools. See Notes to Editors 2. (3) Estimates based on incomplete pupil level data. See Notes to Editors 4. (4) The number of exclusions by reason expressed as a percentage of the total number of exclusions. (5) There were 2 permanent and 4 fixed period exclusions for which circumstance was not knownthese were included in the 'total' column only.  Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census

Pupils: Absenteeism

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils took authorised absence in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Kevin Brennan: The available information for the academic year 1996/97 is shown in the table.
	The latest available information for 2007 covers autumn term 2006 and spring term 2007 and is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools, and city technology colleges( 1) : authorised absence by type of school, 1996/97, England 
			   Number of day pupils of compulsory school age  Authorised absence Percentage of half days missed( 2) 
			 Maintained primary schools 3,770,800 5.60 
			 Maintained secondary schools 2,790,040 8.10 
			 City technology colleges 12,308 6.10 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) The number of sessions missed due to authorised absence expressed as a percentage of the total number of possible sessions.  Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of the component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  School Absence Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools, city technology colleges and academies( 1) : authorised absence by type of school, autumn term 2006 and spring term 2007, England 
			   Number of day pupils of compulsory school age( 2)  Number of pupil enrolments( 3, 4)  Authorised absence Percentage of half days missed( 5) : 
			 Maintained primary schools 3,306,940 3,428,390 4.73 
			 Secondary schools(6) 2,954,940 3,016,240 6.30 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Pupil numbers are as at January 2007. Includes pupils aged five to 15 with sole and dual (main) registration. Excludes boarders. (3 )Number of pupil enrolments in schools between 1 September 2006 and 9 April 2007. Includes pupils on the school roll for at least one session who are aged between five and 15, excluding boarders. Some pupils may be counted more than once (if they moved schools during the school year or are registered in more than one school). (4 )There were some 32,498 cases from primary schools 17,238 cases from maintained secondary schools, CTCS and academies for whom absence data were missing. These cases have been excluded from the total number of pupil enrolments. (5 )The number of sessions missed due to authorised absence expressed as a percentage of the total number of possible sessions. (6 )Includes maintained secondary schools, city technology colleges and academies.  Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of the component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  School Census

Pupils: Absenteeism

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of persistent absentees from school obtained  (a) five GCSEs A*-C and  (b) five GCSEs A*-C including English and mathematics in the last period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Pupils: Assessments

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will place in the Library details of the formula used to adjust the scores of school pupils over key stages 3 and 4 in order to measure contextual value added for a school.

Jim Knight: I am placing a copy of the relevant formulae in the Library. These include methodologies for both maintained mainstream and special schools.

Pupils: English Language

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of  (a) primary schools,  (b) secondary schools and  (c) sixth form colleges had teachers who worked overtime to teach children with English as an additional language in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Pupils: English Language

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of  (a) secondary schools and  (b) sixth form colleges are running the International English Language Testing System; what the estimated costs are of running the International English Language Testing System; and what financial support local authorities provide for schools and sixth form colleges running the International English Language Testing System.

Jim Knight: No secondary schools or sixth form colleges ran the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) last year. Information for 2007-08 is not yet available.
	Until 2007-08, IELTS was funded as an exception to all other International English language qualifications. However, from September 2007 the newly accredited IELTS qualification, now called Cambridge ESOL certificate in English, is not eligible for LSC funding.

Pupils: English Language

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in (i) Basingstoke, (ii) Hampshire and (iii) England have (A) at least one specialist teaching assistant for pupils with English as an additional language, (B) at least one lead teacher for ethnic minority pupils, (C) at least one specialist teaching assistant for pupils with English as an additional language and one lead teacher for ethnic minority pupils and (D) more than one specialist teaching assistant for pupils with English as an additional language and a lead teacher for ethnic minority pupils.

Jim Knight: Information for the number of specialist teaching assistant, for additional language, is not collected centrally,
	The following table shows the number of schools in Basingstoke constituency, Hampshire local authority and England that had at least one teacher recorded for ethnic minority pupils in January 2007.
	
		
			  N umber of local authority maintained primary and secondary schools in Basingstoke constituency, Hampshire local authority and England which have at least one teacher recorded for ethnic mi notify pupils, January 2007 
			   Basingstoke  Hampshire  England 
			  Primary
			 Number of schools 1 5 1,218 
			 Percentage of total 2.5 1.2 7,0 
			 
			  Secondary
			 Number of schools  3 399 
			 Percentage of total  42 11.9 
			  Source:  School Census

Pupils: English Language

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what support from local authorities is available to schools to provide resources to teach children who have English as an additional language; what assessment has been made of the adequacy of this support; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The number of pupils for whom English is an additional language (EAL) rose from 500,000 to 790,000 between 1997 and 2007. Let me put that in perspective. Such children now comprise 12 per cent. of all pupils as against 7.5 per cent. in 1997 and 9 per cent. in 2001. Funding for EAL children has fully kept pace with these increasing numbers through
	an element within the dedicated schools grant (DSG) for primary schools which was some 256 million in 2004-05, rising to 299 million in 2007-08, with a further rise to over 330 million in 2010-11an 11 per cent. real terms increase on the 2004-05 level;
	a substantial provision for EAL through the ring fenced ethnic minority achievement grant (EMAG), which has risen from 162 million in 2004-05 to 179 million in 2007-08 and will rise to 206 million by 2010-11a 9 per cent. increase on the 2004-05 level;
	in addition an exceptional circumstances grant (ECG) has been introduced to reflect changes in local authorities' pupil numbers which occur after the three year indicative allocations of DSG have been announced.
	These increases form part of the substantial overall increase in school funding. Over the past 10 years since 1997, overall per pupil revenue funding for schools has increased by 67 per cent. in real terms. We expect local authorities to be able to manage new pressures from within these increases, and to ensure that the resources reach the individual schools affected by new arrivals and EAL speakers.
	The Government's policy is to encourage rapid English language acquisition as the key to successful integration into the UK education system and the wider community.
	Newly arrived pupils are given additional help in learning English by specialist advisers and teachers of English as an additional language (EAL) and bilingual classroom assistants, who work in collaboration with classroom teachers to plan lessons and teaching materials. The evidence indicates that EAL pupils typically catch up with their peers in attainment terms within two years of first admission to a school a England.
	The Government recently launched a new arrivals excellence programme intended to provide practical support for local authorities, schools and individual teachers. This programme is backed by other practical support including measures to improve the supply, training and qualifications of EAL specialist staff, and to deliver new web-based teaching and learning materials.

Pupils: Languages

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what are the 10 most common first languages spoken among pupils who have English as an additional language are in  (a) primary schools,  (b) secondary schools and  (c) sixth form colleges in (i) Basingstoke, (ii) Hampshire and (iii) England.

Jim Knight: Where a pupil's first language is not English, schools may record the specific languages. Provision of this level of information is not compulsory. In January 2007, specific language data were provided for just over half the pupils in maintained primary and secondary schools. The Department does not hold complete data for the specific language categories.
	The requested information is not collected from sixth-form colleges.

Pupils: Railways

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make it his policy to liaise with the Secretary of State for Transport and others to create a scheme whereby groups of schoolchildren may use the rail network at reduced rates in peak periods in order to travel to London to undertake activities with the Parliamentary Education Service.

Jim Knight: Learning outside the classroom is a key part of the new secondary curriculum. We are encouraging schools to plan their curriculums to meet the needs of all their pupils, including engaging and relevant learning to bring the curriculum to life.
	It is schools which are best placed to decide which specific learning experiences outside of the classroom meet the curriculum and personal development needs of their pupils. That is why the Department for Children, Schools and Families launched the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto in November 2006, asking organisations that offer such experiences to pledge their support to schools wanting to provide them. Nearly 1,000 organisations have signed up to support the Manifesto vision so far.
	Train operators already offer discounted travel for children under the age of 16 and group travel discounts, which are very popular with school parties and available to passengers of all ages.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the value was of each contract awarded to Rackspace by his Department and its predecessors in each of the last nine years.

Kevin Brennan: Our financial records show that the Department and its predecessor has not made any payments to the company Rackspace in the last nine years.

School Leaving

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the likely cost to the public purse of raising the education and training leaving age in each of the first 10 years of its implementation.

Jim Knight: The Department has not estimated the costs of raising the participation age (RPA) to 18 in precisely the form requested.
	However, as part of the impact assessment (IA) which was published alongside the Education and Skills Bill on 29 November 2007, the costs 'per cohort of young people' were set out alongside the benefits. The costs were estimated to be around 800 million per cohort once a steady state had been reached (in 2016-17), while the economic benefits were estimated to be around 2,400 million on the same basis.
	The IA can be accessed at
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/publications/educationandskills/
	and I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.

Schools

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children gained five A* to C grades in schools that had  (a) up to 1,000,  (b) between 1,000 and 1,999 and  (c) over 2,000 pupils in 2006-07.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 20 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 767-68W.

Schools: Admissions

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils in each London borough did not have a school placement at the start of the 2007-08 academic year, broken down by age.

Jim Knight: This is the first year that local authorities have been required to supply data to the Secretary of State on secondary school offers. Data on offers made to parents on national offer day for the 2008-09 academic year were published on the DCSF research gateway (www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway) on 11 March at local authority, regional and national levels. The Department does not require local authorities to provide the secondary school offers data by age or collect data relating to primary school offers.

Schools: Carbon Monoxide

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools had audible carbon monoxide alarms fitted in each year since 1997;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library all guidance issued by his Department to schools on the use of carbon monoxide alarms.

Jim Knight: We do not know how many schools have been fitted with carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide detectors are not required under any statutory regulation, but a number of local authorities have installed CO detectors in some or all of their schools following risk assessments. They have been installed in locations such as boiler rooms, kitchens and other areas containing gas-fired appliances. They have been installed in primary and secondary schools and in both new and existing schools.
	The DCSF, the Health and Safety Executive, the Health Protection Agency and the Confederation of Registered Gas Installers encourage the use of carbon monoxide detectors as part of a strategy for safe combustion in schools. However, regular maintenance, testing and inspection of gas and fossil fuel fired appliances are of paramount importance. The principles of gas safety, enforced by the gas safety regulations, rely on thorough testing at initial commissioning and regular maintenance by certified engineers thereafter. It is good practice to inspect and test all gas, oil and solid fuel fired appliances every year. As far as we know, no official guidance has been issued to schools on the use of carbon monoxide alarms.

Schools: Closures

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools closed in (i) Cambridgeshire, (ii) Cumbria, (iii) Devon and Cornwall, (iv) Durham, (v) Dyfed-Powys, (vi) Gloucestershire, (vii) Lincolnshire, (viii) Norfolk, (ix) North Yorkshire, (x) West Mercia and (xi) Wiltshire in each of the last nine years.

Jim Knight: The following tables set out the numbers of primary and secondary maintained mainstream schools which have closed in Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Devon and Cornwall, Durham, Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, West Mercia and Wiltshire. The tables include cases in which decisions were taken under the local decision-making arrangements which were introduced in September 1999. Information held on proposals that were decided under the arrangements that operated prior to September 1999 is not reliable and has therefore been excluded. The National Assembly for Wales is responsible for schools in Dyfed and Powys.
	The tables include the reasons for closure. The numbers shown in the column headed 'Cease to Maintain' indicate closures where the schools have not been replaced by new schools. In all other cases a replacement school will have been established (sometimes on the site of a closing school), or an amalgamating school altered, to accommodate displaced pupils.
	
		
			  (i) Cambridgeshire 
			   Due to amalgamation  For fresh start  Total 
			 2000 Primary 2  2 
			 2001 Primary 2  2 
			 2002 Primary 4  4 
			 2003 Primary 4  4 
			 2004 Primary 2  2 
			 2006 Primary 3  3 
			 2006 Secondary 2  2 
			 2007 Primary 4  4 
			 2007 Secondary  1 1 
			 Total 23 1 24 
		
	
	
		
			  (ii) Cumbria 
			   Cease to maintain  Due to amalgamation  Total 
			 2000 Primary  2 2 
			 2001 Primary  4 4 
			 2002 Primary  8 8 
			 2003 Primary  2 2 
			 2004 Primary 2 2 4 
			 2005 Primary 1 5 6 
			 2006 Primary 2  2 
			 Total 5 23 28 
		
	
	
		
			  (iii) Devon and Cornwall 
			   Cease to maintain  Due to amalgamation  Total 
			 2002 Primary  3 3 
			 2003 Primary  4 4 
			 2004 Primary 1 2 3 
			 2005 Primary  12 12 
			 2006 Primary  2 2 
			 2007 Primary 2 2 4 
			 Total 3 25 28 
		
	
	
		
			  (iv) Durham 
			   Cease to maintain  Due to amalgamation  Total 
			 2002 Primary  4 4 
			 2003 Primary  2 2 
			 2004 Primary 2  2 
			 2006 Primary  10 10 
			 2007 Primary  6 6 
			 Total 2 22 24 
		
	
	
		
			  (vi) Gloucestershire 
			   Cease to maintain  Due to amalgamation  Change religious character  Total 
			 2000 Primary  2  2 
			 2001 Primary  4  4 
			 2005 Primary  4  4 
			 2006 Secondary   1 1 
			 2007 Primary 1   1 
			 2007 Secondary   1 1 
			 Total 1 10 2 13 
		
	
	
		
			  (vii) Lincolnshire 
			   Cease to maintain  Due to amalgamation  Change religious character  For fresh start  Total 
			 2001 Primary   1  1 
			 2004 Primary 11 
			 2004 Secondary1 1 
			 2005 Primary 1 1   2 
			 2006 Primary 1 1   2 
			 2007 Primary 1 2   3 
			 Total 4 4 1 1 10 
		
	
	
		
			  (viii) Norfolk 
			   Cease to maintain  Due to amalgamation  Total 
			 2001 Primary  2 2 
			 2003 Primary  2 2 
			 2006 Primary 1  1 
			 2007 Primary  30 30 
			 Total 1 34 35 
		
	
	
		
			  (ix) North Yorkshire 
			   Cease to maintain  Due to amalgamation  Total 
			 2006 Primary 1 2 3 
			 2007 Primary 2  2 
			 Total 3 2 5 
		
	
	
		
			  (x) West Mercia (Herefordshire, Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire and Worcestershire) 
			   Cease to maintain  Due to amalgamation  For fresh start  To allow for a new establishment  Change religious character  For an academy  Total 
			 2002 Primary 2  2 
			 2003 Primary 1  1 
			 2004 Primary  4 15 
			 2004 Secondary 1  1 
			 2005 Primary 1 8 9 
			 2006 Primary  13 13 
			 2006 Secondary1   1 
			 2007 Primary 1 33   1  35 
			 2007 Secondary  14   2 1 17 
			 Total 6 72 1 1 3 1 84 
		
	
	
		
			  (xi) Wiltshire 
			   Cease to maintain  Due to amalgamation  Change religious character  Total 
			 2002 Primary  1  1 
			 2002 Secondary   1 1 
			 2003 Primary  3  3 
			 2004 Primary 2   2 
			 2004 Secondary 1 1  2 
			 2005 Primary 2 4  6 
			 2005 Secondary 3   3 
			 2006 Primary 1 8  9 
			 2007 Primary 2 5  7 
			 Total 11 22 1 34

Schools: Co-operation

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of whether there are financial benefits to schools of joining consortiums; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Although funding arrangements do not provide financial incentives to join consortiums, we believe that working in partnership offers schools the opportunity to deliver high-quality educational provision for best value. Indeed, working with other schools is fundamental to the delivery of key policies such as extended services and personalisation.
	In autumn 2007 the Department commissioned a study to assess the activities through which schools can operate more efficiently. Collaborative working, through arrangements such as federations or consortiums, was identified as one mechanism in which schools may deliver improvements in value for money.
	The merged governing body of a federation is able to make budget and staffing decisions jointly on behalf of all its schools. Working in a federation may allow schools to realise financial savings and provide better value for money. This could be achieved by employing shared staff, acquiring joint facilities and equipment, or rationalising duplicated functions.

Schools: Crimes of Violence

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many teachers were attacked on school premises resulting in hospital treatment in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Schools: Data Protection

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many data records have been lost or stolen from school premises in the latest period for which records are available.

Jim Knight: The Department does not keep records of data losses in schools. Becta, the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, supplies advice to schools on data security.

Schools: Drugs

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 583W, on Drugs: Schools, what information his Department holds on drugs in schools in  (a) the North East,  (b) the Tees Valley district and  (c) the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency.

Kevin Brennan: The Department does not collect centrally information on drugs or drug incidents in schools.
	The Department's guidance, Drugs: Guidance for Schools (DfES 2004) makes clear that the possession, use or supply of illegal and other unauthorised drugs within school boundaries is unacceptable. All schools should have agreed responses and procedures for managing drug incidents, which are understood by all and documented within the school's drug policy.

Schools: Governing Bodies

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what factors he took into consideration in determining the recently revised optimum size for a school governing body.

Jim Knight: The Secretary of State has not determined an optimum size for a school governing body. At present, governing bodies can vary between nine and 20 members (not including sponsor governors).
	We believe that smaller, more highly skilled governing bodies, alongside improved governor training, will provide more effective governance for schools. As we indicated in the Children's Plan, we will be consulting stakeholders on reducing the size of governing bodies. Good governance and leadership is essential if we are to achieve better outcomes for all children and young people.

Schools: Heating

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will provide guidance for local education authorities on incorporating biomass-based heating and cooling in new build schools.

Jim Knight: Guidance on incorporating biomass-heating and other renewable and low-carbon technologies in new schools is provided on our website. Biomass heating has been installed in many schools, but biomass cooling has not been used. Schools have little demand for cooling, and where there is a need for cooling this can be achieved effectively using other low- carbon energy sources. The potential to use biomass for cooling in schools is likely to be limited to large scale community energy schemes serving mixed-use developments that include school buildings.

Schools: Sales

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) former school sites and  (b) parcels of land belonging to a (i) school and (ii) former school have been sold since 1997.

Jim Knight: We do not hold this information. Although local authorities and maintained schools in England need consent before they can dispose of a school playing field or any part of a school playing field, they do not require approval to sell buildings, or the marginal non-playing field land surrounding those buildings. Such decisions are made locally.

Schools: Sales

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many school sites were sold  (a) wholly and  (b) partly in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We do not hold this information. Although local authorities and maintained schools in England need consent before they can dispose of a school playing field or any part of a school playing field, they do not require approval to sell buildings, or the marginal non-playing field land surrounding those buildings. Such decisions are made locally.
	The Under-Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, West (Kevin Brennan) gave a written statement to the House on 2 April 2008 explaining the measures that the Government have introduced to protect school playing field land.

Schools: Sports

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding school sport received from  (a) the national lottery and  (b) the public purse in each year since 1997; and how much it is projected to receive in each year of the comprehensive spending review period to 2010-11.

Kevin Brennan: A breakdown of my Department's and Big Lottery investment in England in PE and School Sport from 1996-07 to 2010-11 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   million 
			  Financial year  Lottery  DCSF funding 
			 1996-97  0 
			 1997-98  1.9 
			 1998-99  3.6 
			 1999-2000  4.8 
			 2000-01  9.5 
			 2001-02 10.6 14.6 
			 2002-03 78.5 23.5 
			 2003-04 139.6 78 
			 2004-05 327.5 116 
			 2005-06 75.1 155 
			 2006-07 30.6 208.5 
			 2007-08 (1)21.5 221.8 
			 2008-09  234.8 
			 2009-10  241.3 
			 2010-11  246.3 
			 Total 683.4 1,559.6 
			 (1) To date 
		
	
	Lottery distributing bodies decide the nature and duration of lottery grant-making programmes, and make grants, independently of the Government and subject to their own criteria. No figures are therefore available for projected lottery funding.

Schools: Standards

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  which schools have been in Ofsted categories in each year since 1997; and for how long they were in such categories;
	(2)  which schools have been in Ofsted categories for more than one year in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector Christine Gilbert has written to the hon. Member, and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 1 April 2008:
	Your recent parliamentary questions have been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	Since 1 September 2005, there have been two categories of schools causing concern. These are:
	'Schools subject to special measures'those that, when inspected, were failing to give their pupils an acceptable standard of education and did not show the capacity to improve.
	'Schools requiring significant improvement'those that, when inspected, were performing significantly less well than they might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform. These schools are issued a 'Notice to Improve' and judged inadequate but, unlike special measures schools, demonstrate the capacity to improve.
	Prior to the launch of the new school inspection framework in September 2005, the categories included 'serious weaknesses', 'underachieving schools' and 'inadequate sixth form'. These categories no longer exist.
	The names of all schools that have been in categories of concern since 2003, broken down by local authority, are published each term on the Ofsted website at http://www.ofsted.gov.uk. They can be found in the 'Publications and Research' section, under 'Statistics'. The direct link is:
	http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.8e8ba064adeba4d8c3172a8a08c08a0c/?vgnextoid=93bc764e0f32b010VgnVCM100000960f430aRCRD
	Beyond this, the data is not available in the form in which you requested it, and the information from 1997 to 2003 has not been published. This information, presented in the requested manner, is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, that is something in the order of 50 hours work.
	I am sorry not to be more helpful. If you could re-focus your request so that we could, as a consequence, reduce the work entailed in responding, we would do all possible to accommodate you.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Children, Schools and Families and will be placed in the Library of both Houses.

Schools: Swimming

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of schools in each local authority area in Yorkshire and the Humber offered swimming lessons to pupils in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: Swimming activities and water safety are a compulsory element of the national curriculum for physical education in primary schools. Swimming lessons should be provided for all pupils as part of this. Schools can choose swimming activities and water safety as a programme of study in secondary schools.
	As part of the PE and Sport Strategy, 5.5 million has been invested over 2006-08 to help pupils to reach the Key Stage 2 requirements for swimming, including being able to swim at least 25 metres. Over 100,000 pupils will have benefited from this programme by July 2008, and 8.25 million has been allocated to continue to support it over 2008-11.
	The annual PE and School Sport Survey was introduced in 2003-04 and provides information on the proportion of schools in School Sport Partnerships offering swimming. Of the schools that provided data, the percentage that offered swimming during the academic year, broken down by local authority, is as follows.
	
		
			   2005/06  2006/07 
			   Number of schools providing data  Percentage of which offer swimming  Number of schools providing data  Percentage of which offer swimming 
			 Barnsley 82 85 98 85 
			 Bradford 197 89 197 94 
			 Calderdale 86 80 102 84 
			 Doncaster 87 90 126 83 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 77 88 151 87 
			 Kingston upon Hull 93 85 91 88 
			 Kirklees 167 75 190 78 
			 Leeds 214 89 268 89 
			 North East Lincolnshire 60 73 73 77 
			 North Lincolnshire 43 77 81 83 
			 North Yorkshire 294 90 380 92 
			 Rotherham 123 75 122 77 
			 Sheffield 177 80 172 81 
			 Wakefield 148 82 148 82 
			 York 66 80 69 80 
			 TotalYorkshire and Humber 1,914 84 2,268 86 
		
	
	Direct comparisons between local authority areas are not appropriate as the number of schools in a School Sport Partnership, and the length of time they have been within a partnership, differ.
	From September 2006, all maintained schools in England have been part of a School Sport Partnership.
	Further analysis in years prior to 2005-06 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Schools: Swimming

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools in  (a) Essex and  (b) the Castle Point constituency offer swimming lessons.

Kevin Brennan: The annual PE and School Sport Survey collects data relating to participation in PE and school sport from schools. The 2006-07 survey found that 463 of the 567 schools in Essex stated that they offered swimming during the academic year. In the Castle Point constituency, 26 of the 34 schools stated they offered swimming lessons.

Science: General Certificate of Secondary Education

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of secondary schools in each local authority in Yorkshire and the Humber offered GCSE courses in  (a) physics,  (b) biology and  (c) chemistry in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not hold information on subjects offered by schools.

Secondary Education: Admissions

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the secondary school population is in  (a) Enfield North and  (b) Enfield Southgate; and what the average secondary school population per constituency is in (i) London and (ii) England.

Jim Knight: A table showing the number of secondary schools and pupils in each parliamentary constituency has been placed in the House Library.

Specialised Diplomas

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of bids for 14 to 19 Diplomas in 2009 under the Gateway 2 process have been turned down.

Jim Knight: I announced the results of the Gateway 2 process on 17 March. This year's applications were stronger as a result of the considerable development work carried out by the consortiums themselves over the last year. This resulted in a higher number of successful applications: 58 per cent. of lines of learning were approved for delivery from 2009, and 25 per cent. for delivery from 2010, and 17 per cent. were asked to reapply.

Teachers

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many teachers have taught at three or more schools on full-time contracts since 2002.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Teachers TV

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent estimate is of the average number of Teachers TV viewers  (a) online and  (b) on television each day; and how many of these are teachers.

Kevin Brennan: The current figures show that 110,000 members of the schools workforce watched the channel on average each month with each viewer watching over four programmes per week. On average 129,000 unique users visit the website each month. Viewing to the channel among the schools workforce is measured by an independent market research company on a monthly basis.

Teachers: Qualifications

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he plans to take towards the introduction of the masters in teaching and learning qualification; what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing the qualification; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Plans for the introduction of a masters in teaching and learning for teachers were set out in 'Being the Best for our Children: Releasing Talent for Teaching and Learning' on 7 March. Our aim is that over time the qualification should be open to all teachers, and our expectation is that every teacher will want to complete it at some stage in their career. We propose to begin by targeting the masters mainly on teachers in the first five years of their careers, building on initial teacher training and induction. The Training and Development Agency for Schools has been asked to start developing the programme. Initially 30 million has been set aside for the programme in the current spending review period.

Teachers: Temporary Employment

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many agency teachers were employed in each of the last three years, broken down by local education authority; and how much each such authority spent  (a) in each year and  (b) per agency teacher in each such year.

Jim Knight: The information requested for the number of agency teachers employed in each of the last three years is not collected centrally. Information for occasional teachers employed through agencies was collected until 2003 in the Annual Survey of Teachers in Service and Teacher Vacancies, 618g. In 2003 there were 4,990 agency staff employed in local authority maintained schools in England.
	The following table provides the total expenditure on agency supply teaching staff by local authority maintained schools in each local authority in 2004-05 to 2006-07. Information is not available for the expenditure spent per agency teacher in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  The Education (Outturn Statements) (England) Regulations. Expenditure by local authority maintained schools( 1)  in England on agency supply teaching staff( 2) : 2004-05 to 2006-07( 3) Cash terms figures( 4)  as reported by local authorities as at 28 February 2008 
			   
			Expenditure on agency supply teaching staff( 2)  by local authority maintained schools( 1) 
			  LEA number  LEA name  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07( 3) 
			  England 382,958,548 430,538,330 438,739,654 
			  
			 201 City of London 57,077 85,403 103,452 
			 202 Camden 2,987,017 3,901,757 3,621,127 
			 203 Greenwich 4,594,059 3,596,434 5,810,575 
			 204 Hackney 5,707,859 5,867,043 6,125,165 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,674,053 2,841,130 2,347,375 
			 206 Islington 4,676,331 5,720,302 4,732,703 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 1,664,165 2,075,156 2,173,268 
			 208 Lambeth 5,512,614 6,543,680 6,292,215 
			 209 Lewisham 4,792,741 5,193,607 5,695,189 
			 210 Southwark 6,741,356 7,130,462 7,277,311 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 7,553,729 8,262,697 8,991,124 
			 212 Wandsworth 3,494,597 4,390,376 4,424,289 
			 213 Westminster 3,349,275 3,235,370 3,795,029 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 4,115,910 5,206,779 4,523,289 
			 302 Barnet 5,547,655 6,111,650 5,554,816 
			 303 Bexley 3,313,787 3,478,382 3,391,948 
			 304 Brent 3,909,086 3,626,218 3,866,961 
			 305 Bromley 1,669,729 2,076,443 2,100,350 
			 306 Croydon 3,583,498 3,823,829 4,140,531 
			 307 Ealing 5,009,196 6,659,237 6,720,430 
			 308 Enfield 3,830,110 4,235,845 3,887,332 
			 309 Haringey 5,823,110 6,007,764 4,669,242 
			 310 Harrow 3,224,692 3,259,761 3,426,062 
			 311 Havering 1,724,635 2,100,272 1,777,046 
			 312 Hillingdon 4,136,617 4,259,096 3,870,647 
			 313 Hounslow 4,126,586 4,668,040 4,977,012 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 945,404 1,070,654 1,247,940 
			 315 Merton 3,212,228 3,383,189 2,970,669 
			 316 Newham 9,218,418 10,108,166 9,434,945 
			 317 Redbridge 3,652,512 3,908,242 4,220,070 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 1,903,890 1,974,354 1,912,981 
			 319 Sutton 2,301,839 2,391,219 2,569,608 
			 320 Waltham Forest 5,983,857 6,958,455 6,791,473 
			 330 Birmingham 17,736,901 18,751,495 20,296,096 
			 331 Coventry 4,952,436 6,323,259 5,767,556 
			 332 Dudley 2,092,251 2,618,955 2,971,396 
			 333 Sandwell 6,469,216 6,090,726 5,980,782 
			 334 Solihull 1,248,207 1,474,213 1,597,342 
			 335 Walsall 3,359,341 4,033,956 3,992,350 
			 336 Wolverhampton 2,181,794 2,384,247 2,686,707 
			 340 Knowsley 1,978,473 2,409,745 1,791,403 
			 341 Liverpool 6,190,631 6,733,790 7,172,808 
			 342 St. Helens 1,650,160 1,812,794 2,003,304 
			 343 Sefton 178,380 213,634 217,766 
			 344 Wirral 1,975,900 2,144,742 1,870,879 
			 350 Bolton 1,847,072 2,393,525 2,224,440 
			 351 Bury 813,768 1,282,308 1,391,446 
			 352 Manchester 4,869,315 6,032,601 5,750,282 
			 353 Oldham 1,413,990 1,627,571 1,630,582 
			 354 Rochdale 1,312,273 1,265,265 1,241,242 
			 355 Salford 3,402,527 3,431,187 3,073,527 
			 356 Stockport 3,818,786 4,436,463 4,138,010 
			 357 Tameside 1,698,001 1,373,216 1,354,953 
			 358 Trafford 778,349 727,716 937,884 
			 359 Wigan 1,717,184 1,627,667 1,769,577 
			 370 Barnsley 2,597,360 3,137,415 2,761,569 
			 371 Doncaster 2,360,913 2,498,027 2,318,373 
			 372 Rotherham 2,205,350 1,950,590 2,080,839 
			 373 Sheffield 5,341,904 5,753,158 5,619,966 
			 380 Bradford 10,671,113 10,708,122 10,492,679 
			 381 Calderdale 1,115,864 1,120,700 1,298,510 
			 382 Kirklees 1,922,804 2,572,021 3,508,093 
			 383 Leeds 6,118,497 6,819,960 6,695,101 
			 384 Wakefield 2,024,768 2,230,900 2,096,266 
			 390 Gateshead 997,395 1,192,776 1,546,785 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 2,034,006 1,965,904 1,814,299 
			 392 North Tyneside 2,557,920 2,561,043 2,058,603 
			 393 South Tyneside 1,243,013 1,378,255 1,600,113 
			 394 Sunderland 2,089,578 2,458,262 2,419,460 
			 420 Isles of Scilly 18,227 24,090 1,350 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset 632,155 688,781 781,821 
			 801 City of Bristol 2,219,720 2,289,695 2,393,699 
			 802 North Somerset 1,039,014 1,166,972 1,149,204 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 1,668,358 1,980,190 1,861,885 
			 805 Hartlepool 785,729 1,013,366 1,066,814 
			 806 Middlesbrough 632,103 1,063,982 975,034 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 1,036,261 1,158,453 1,353,073 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 1,213,418 1,475,387 1,423,856 
			 810 City of Kingston-Upon-Hull 2,739,221 2,675,368 2,720,439 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 1,051,887 1,221,012 1,277,106 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 1,244,611 1,057,846 1,383,906 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 626,114 712,464 803,642 
			 815 North Yorkshire 1,736,370 2,244,869 3,032,876 
			 816 York 192,779 281,448 340,318 
			 820 Bedfordshire 1,636,761 2,032,112 2,444,365 
			 821 Luton 2,520,677 2,991,888 3,355,000 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 2,151,247 2,482,709 2,478,618 
			 826 Milton Keynes 910,264 899,934 1,008,209 
			 830 Derbyshire 2,112,508 2,866,852 3,575,287 
			 831 Derby 1,574,760 1,947,267 1,993,619 
			 835 Dorset 444,633 414,008 508,506 
			 836 Poole 348,097 439,935 629,392 
			 837 Bournemouth 453,923 692,358 943,806 
			 840 Durham 2,431,932 2,622,478 3,005,719 
			 841 Darlington 770,083 849,364 1,174,146 
			 845 East Sussex 1,788,187 2,088,651 2,340,950 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 1,780,386 2,190,662 2,058,116 
			 850 Hampshire 2,187,448 2,387,522 2,591,321 
			 851 Portsmouth 604,412 931,737 1,180,546 
			 852 Southampton 1,466,885 1,611,778 1,683,233 
			 855 Leicestershire 3,020,996 3,842,377 3,369,102 
			 856 Leicester 3,520,607 3,906,625 3,848,138 
			 857 Rutland 6,411 19,120 33,069 
			 860 Staffordshire 1,243,586 1,744,606 1,940,423 
			 861 Stoke on Trent 1,831,111 1,940,955 1,584,772 
			 865 Wiltshire 1,219,854 1,589,248 1,521,798 
			 866 Swindon 1,510,074 1,457,708 1,633,156 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 369,234 457,218 1,140,669 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 875,204 794,112 808,340 
			 869 West Berkshire 124,094 462,121 577,257 
			 870 Reading 790,014 900,981 994,169 
			 871 Slough 1,296,260 1,259,804 1,347,420 
			 872 Wokingham 575,419 690,017 609,593 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 312,976 1,438,265 2,142,890 
			 874 Peterborough 530,753 602,035 767,771 
			 875 Cheshire 1,596,841 2,020,415 2,286,300 
			 876 Halton 1,091,562 1,371,554 1,093,885 
			 877 Warrington 1,474,433 1,734,072 1,625,581 
			 878 Devon 648,060 1,013,770 1,154,942 
			 879 Plymouth 731,803 680,043 827,443 
			 880 Torbay 649,561 609,304 443,227 
			 881 Essex 6,583,806 7,945,984 8,033,926 
			 882 Southend 666,356 1,161,637 1,059,192 
			 883 Thurrock 1,798,893 1,922,804 1,580,527 
			 884 Herefordshire 151,529 275,312 296,619 
			 885 Worcestershire 1,084,736 1,624,018 1,862,236 
			 886 Kent 6,958,308 8,039,516 7,699,769 
			 887 Medway 1,909,694 2,286,732 2,271,100 
			 888 Lancashire 12,097,077 12,736,261 12,862,755 
			 889 Blackburn and Darwen 1,859,597 2,477,386 2,268,756 
			 890 Blackpool 350 1,043,356 775,357 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 4,666,314 5,488,048 5,575,029 
			 892 Nottingham City 2,608,961 2,786,135 3,134,817 
			 893 Shropshire 76,977 36,599 75,244 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 665,966 804,663 925,123 
			 908 Cornwall 2,200,063 2,336,421 2,341,424 
			 909 Cumbria 1,156,730 1,597,194 2,112,580 
			 916 Gloucestershire 1,762,292 2,133,986 2,111,554 
			 919 Hertfordshire 6,542,665 6,921,139 6,838,887 
			 921 Isle of Wight 73,310 113,547 164,714 
			 925 Lincolnshire 3,222,603 3,183,428 3,378,485 
			 926 Norfolk 1,021,251 1,216,730 1,530,288 
			 928 Northamptonshire 2,524,671 3,854,259 3,605,199 
			 929 Northumberland 1,460,906 1,356,094 1,883,499 
			 931 Oxfordshire 1,440,909 1,685,023 1,853,848 
			 933 Somerset 1,318,118 1,264,939 1,219,103 
			 935 Suffolk 1,114,336 1,361,794 1,608,998 
			 936 Surrey 3,941,755 4,685,662 4,695,495 
			 937 Warwickshire 2,407,864 2,665,817 2,680,312 
			 938 West Sussex 2,202,416 2,809,098 3,395,854 
			 (1) Includes expenditure incurred directly by all local authority maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools. (2) Expenditure on agency supply teaching staff includes the cost paid to an agency for teaching staff that have been brought in to cover teacher absence. Includes cover of any period and for all reasons; including illness, absence for training, and any leave. (3) 2006-07 figures remain provisional and subject to change by the local authority. (4) Expenditure are drawn from local authorities' Section 52 Outturn Statements (Table A) submitted to the DCSF (formerly DfES).

Teachers: Vetting

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to review the rules on the transferability of Criminal Records Bureau checks on teachers;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the rules relating to the transferability of Criminal Records Bureau checks on the  (a) ability of schools to recruit suitable teachers on temporary contracts and  (b) cost of recruitment of such teachers.

Beverley Hughes: The Department has no plans to review the rules on the transferability of Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosures. We are not aware of any adverse effects arising from the rules relating to transferability. We are aware of the fact that there are often extra costs relating to temporary teachers if their employers insist on new disclosures every time they change post or agency. This is, however, the decision of individual employers and not a result of our guidance to schools and teaching supply agencies. We issued our principal guidance document on safeguarding for schools, Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education in 2006. In that guidance we clearly set out that CRB Enhanced Disclosure certificates could be reused by teachers moving schools, local authorities or further education colleges, provided that all other recommended safer recruitment checks had been carried out satisfactorily and that the gap between their leaving their old employment and taking up their new post was not more than three months. The CRB has produced a comprehensive Portability Framework document which sets out the issues relating to the reuse of Disclosure certificates, which can obtained from the CRB website at
	http://www.crb.gov.uk
	The Department's Educational Procurement Centre (EPC) is currently undertaking a Temporary Workers in Education project. it aims to provide schools (initially in London) with an accessible, quality-driven electronic one stop shop for their temporary support staff requirements. All participating agencies will hold the DCSF Recruitment Employment Confederation (REC) Quality Mark, thereby meeting the requirements of the Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education guidance. All London boroughs will be able to benefit from a safe and value- adding central service, reducing their own resourcing requirement in relation to temporary staff.

Television

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many plasma television screens have been purchased by his Department and its predecessor and its agencies, and at what cost, in the last 24 months.

Kevin Brennan: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department has no agencies.

Warriner School' Bloxham: Specialised Diplomas

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons the bid by the Warriner School, Bloxham, to run a diploma in environmental and land-based studies for 2009 was turned down.

Jim Knight: The Gateway process aims to ensure high-quality delivery of the new, innovative diploma qualifications from the outset, creating sound foundations of good practice and delivery experience for the wider drive towards the 2013 entitlement.
	The application for Environmental and Land Based Studies from the North Oxfordshire 14-19 Partnership was not approved because the consortiums did not provide sufficient information to show that it understood the full requirements of the new diploma, or that it had arrangements across the consortium to deliver the full range of the diploma. Employer engagement across the breadth of the diploma line also needed significant strengthening.
	The Department is arranging a detailed feedback meeting with each consortium during April and May, when the consortium will be able to discuss the assessment in detail.

Written Questions: Government Responses

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he will answer parliamentary question  (a) 17956 tabled on 14 November 2007,  (b) 176819 tabled on 18 December 2007,  (c) 174262 174261 and  (d) 174260 tabled on 11 December 2007,  (e) 173245 tabled on 6 December 2007,  (f) 172551 tabled on 4 December 2007,  (g) 172102 tabled on 3 December 2007,  (h) 170786 tabled on 28 November 2007,  (i) 169794 tabled on 27 November 2007,  (j) 165755 tabled on 14 November 2007,  (k) 163325, 163541 163208 and 163099 tabled on 7 November 2007 by the hon. Member for Yeovil; and what the reason is for the time taken in answering them.

Kevin Brennan: The Department has responded to all the aforementioned parliamentary questions. We were informed that PQ 165755 had been withdrawn, as the text of the PQ was identical to PQ 163222 which has received a full reply.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects to answer questions  (a) 181521 and  (b) 181612 on departmental travel, tabled on 21 January 2008 by the hon. Member for Taunton; and what the reason is for the time taken to respond.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 3 March 2008
	The questions referred to were answered on 28 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1800-802W and on 25 March 2008,  Official Report, column 108W.
	Following the Machinery of Government Changes on 28 June 2007 the Department relies on management information supplied by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills to answer parliamentary questions relating to departmental matters. This has an impact on the time taken to respond to parliamentary questions.

Young People: Rural Areas

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many of the proposed intensive intervention projects in the Youth Taskforce Action Plan will be based in rural areas.

Beverley Hughes: The areas in which intensive intervention projects will be based have not yet been selected. In order to establish these areas the Department for Children, Schools and Families will use an open competition selection process in which all top-tier local authorities will be eligible to submit a bid to apply for funding to set up an intensive intervention project in their area. The Department hopes to see strong bids for intensive intervention projects coming from local authorities across the country.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department and its predecessors paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Edward Balls: I can confirm that the Department for Children, Schools and Families and its predecessor the Department for Education and Skills have no record of any payments to a supplier Zurich Financial Services during the last nine years. The Department does not hold data prior to the financial year 1999-2000.
	 The following answers were received for publication on 27 March 2008

Children in Care: Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in care were served with an antisocial behaviour order in each of the last nine years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Children in Care: Missing Persons

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were reported missing from social services care in each of the last five years; how many were missing for over one month, how many were missing for more than three months and how many were missing for more than six months.

Kevin Brennan: The number of children looked after who were reported missing from care in each of the last five years for over one month (more than 30 days), more than three months (more than 90 days) and more than six months (more than 180 days) is shown in the following table. Where a child was reported missing from his or her agreed placement on more than one occasion during the same year, he or she has been counted only once.
	
		
			  Children looked after who were reported missing during the years ending 31 March 2003 to 2007( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) England 
			  Children missing from placement during the year ending 31 March:  2003( 5)  2004( 6)  2005( 6)  2006( 6)  2007( 6) 
			 over 30 days 570 320 370 370 350 
			 over 90 days 390 180 200 200 190 
			 over 180 days 280 120 150 110 120 
			 (1) Source: SSDA903 return on children looked after. (2) Children looked after at any time during the year ending 31 March. (3) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements. (4) A child is recorded with a missing placement if he/she is absent for more than 24-hours from his/her agreed placement. Children who are missing from care are categorised in three types of missing placements: (a) In Refuge for children at risk, as defined in Section 51 of Children Act 1989, (b) Whereabouts of young people know to social services (but not in refuge) excluding agreed absences from placement such as holidays or planned breaks, (c) Whereabouts unknown. (5) Figures are taken from the SSDA903 one-third sample survey. (6) Figures are taken from the SSDA903 return which since 2004 covered all looked after children. (7) Historical figures may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. (8) To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 or to the nearest 10 otherwise, placement.

Departmental Marketing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what promotional items bearing the departmental logo have been commissioned by his Department since its establishment.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 20 March 2008
	The Department has commissioned ballpoint pens with its corporate logo printed on the barrel. These were for promotional use, primarily at the Education Show 2008 in Birmingham. It has commissioned 'Post-it Notes', A4 and A5 paper pads, and cotton carry bags with its logo to support the launch of the Parent Know-How initiative. It has also commissioned ballpoint pens, mugs and cotton carry bags with its logo to promote Sure Start Children's Centres.

Extracurricular Activities: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of breakfast clubs in Bexley schools; and what steps his Department is taking to encourage their creation.

Beverley Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Geraldine Smith) on 18 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1072W.
	Providing access to activities before school, including breakfast clubs, is a part of the extended schools core offer. In the London borough of Bexley there are 57 schools providing access to the core offer of extended services, which may be through a cluster of local schools or other providers.

Nurseries: Closures

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many nurseries closed in England in each of the last 10 years.

Beverley Hughes: The available information on the number of nurseries opening and closing is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Full day care providers( 1) 
			   Closed  Open 
			 2003/04 1,100 2,500 
			 2004/05 1,800 2,800 
			 2005/06 1,300 2,300 
			 2006/07 1,500 2,200 
			 April 2007- December 2007 1,300 1,600 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100.  Source:  Ofsted 
		
	
	Ofsted data on closures include registered places in settings which are transferring ownership, and in settings which move from one Ofsted category to another, not just in those which are ceasing trading. For example, if a full day care provider moved to offering sessional provision, this would be recorded as a 'closed' full day care setting and an 'opened' sessional day care setting. The Ofsted data therefore exaggerates the true extent of turnover.
	Ofsted has produced figures on the numbers of registered child care providers and places on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Its latest figures were published in its report Registered Childcare Providers and Places, December 2007, which is available on its website,
	www.Ofsted.gov.uk/

Pupil Referral Units

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, 
	(1)  how many pupil referral units were  (a) opened and  (b) closed in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many pupil referral units places there were in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: The available information is published in table 1 of Statistical First Release 30/2007 (Schools and Pupils in England: January 2007 (Final)). This SFR can be accessed at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000744/index.shtml
	A copy of this SFR is in the Library. Information on the number of places in PRUs is not collected centrally so information on the number of pupils on roll in PRUs, excluding dually registered pupils, has been provided instead.
	The number of pupil referral units notified to the Department as opening and closing in each of the last 10 years is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Total openings 18 18 23 28 69 75 54 33 26 19 
			 Total closings 28 20 21 15 26 29 24 35 24 15 
			  Source: Edubase

Schools: Finance

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average pupil premium is for a child with  (a) special educational needs and  (b) English as an additional language requirement; and what the (i) highest and (ii) lowest premium is.

Kevin Brennan: The available information for  (a) is as follows:
	
		
			  Returns from local authorities in England on their intended net expenditure on the provision of education for children with special educational needs for 2007-08 
			  Local authority name  Budgeted net expenditure on the education of children with special educational needs () 
			 England 4,868,571,000 
			 Barking and Dagenham 20,173,000 
			 Barnet 42,190,000 
			 Barnsley 17,231,000 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 10,936,000 
			 Bedfordshire 32,013,000 
			 Bexley 26,174,000 
			 Birmingham 167,503,000 
			 Blackburn and Darwen 23,552,000 
			 Blackpool 15,020,000 
			 Bolton 22,747,000 
			 Bournemouth 14,964,000 
			 Bracknell Forest 11,317,000 
			 Bradford 53,123,000 
			 Brent 31,250,000 
			 Brighton and Hove 25,187,000 
			 Bromley 31,631,000 
			 Buckinghamshire 62,612,000 
			 Bury 17,891,000 
			 Calderdale 20,634,000 
			 Cambridgeshire 48,756,000 
			 Camden 24,670,000 
			 Cheshire 69,129,000 
			 City of Bristol 37,908,000 
			 City of Kingston-Upon-Hull 25,965,000 
			 City of London 331,000 
			 Cornwall 40,106,000 
			 Coventry 37,654,000 
			 Croydon 38,185,000 
			 Cumbria 35,418,000 
			 Darlington 8,514,000 
			 Derby 28,907,000 
			 Derbyshire 80,430,000 
			 Devon 62,251,000 
			 Doncaster 19,958,000 
			 Dorset 35,838,000 
			 Dudley 24,873,000 
			 Durham 38,686,000 
			 Ealing 33,204,000 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 25,036,000 
			 East Sussex 49,826,000 
			 Enfield 31,522,000 
			 Essex 103,046,000 
			 Gateshead 19,278,000 
			 Gloucestershire 44,614,000 
			 Greenwich 28,511,000 
			 Hackney 27,953,000 
			 Halton 12,178,000 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 15,145,000 
			 Hampshire 91,351,000 
			 Haringey 29,957,000 
			 Harrow 26,638,000 
			 Hartlepool 10,146,000 
			 Havering 15,787,000 
			 Herefordshire 16,205,000 
			 Hertfordshire 87,928,000 
			 Hillingdon 26,436,000 
			 Hounslow 27,465,000 
			 Isle of Wight 11,087,000 
			 Isles of Scilly 129,000 
			 Islington 22,011,000 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 9,678,000 
			 Kent 143,573,000 
			 Kingston upon Thames 15,771,000 
			 Kirklees 27,406,000 
			 Knowsley 16,088,000 
			 Lambeth 33,078,000 
			 Lancashire 128,721,000 
			 Leeds 57,528,000 
			 Leicester 36,411,000 
			 Leicestershire 52,800,000 
			 Lewisham 33,527,000 
			 Lincolnshire 56,252,000 
			 Liverpool 34,413,000 
			 Luton 23,164,000 
			 Manchester 58,501,000 
			 Medway 28,617,000 
			 Merton 21,320,000 
			 Middlesbrough 17,010,000 
			 Milton Keynes 28,150,000 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 23,387,000 
			 Newham 42,125,000 
			 Norfolk 60,953,000 
			 North East Lincolnshire 17,845,000 
			 North Lincolnshire 13,384,000 
			 North Somerset 16,615,000 
			 North Tyneside 19,233,000 
			 North Yorkshire 54,554,000 
			 Northamptonshire 50,889,000 
			 Northumberland 27,250,000 
			 Nottingham City 23,055,000 
			 Nottinghamshire 37,506,000 
			 Oldham 20,261,000 
			 Oxfordshire 47,755,000 
			 Peterborough 24,838,000 
			 Plymouth 26,421,000 
			 Poole 11,294,000 
			 Portsmouth 15,414,000 
			 Reading 14,805,000 
			 Redbridge 26,216,000 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 13,562,000 
			 Richmond upon Thames 15,440,000 
			 Rochdale 19,294,000 
			 Rotherham 24,248,000 
			 Rutland 2,961,000 
			 Salford 24,178,000 
			 Sandwell 35,879,000 
			 Sefton 20,786,000 
			 Sheffield 42,662,000 
			 Shropshire 18,395,000 
			 Slough 16,633,000 
			 Solihull 19,522,000 
			 Somerset 40,845,000 
			 South Gloucestershire 21,567,000 
			 South Tyneside 25,234,000 
			 Southampton 16,214,000 
			 Southend 21,469,000 
			 Southwark 32,171,000 
			 St. Helens 13,775,000 
			 Staffordshire 59,045,000 
			 Stockport 20,941,000 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 20,657,000 
			 Stoke on Trent 23,432,000 
			 Suffolk 57,750,000 
			 Sunderland 22,448,000 
			 Surrey 110,753,000 
			 Sutton 25,118,000 
			 Swindon 18,705,000 
			 Tameside 17,793,000 
			 Telford and Wrekin 15,493,000 
			 Thurrock 13,926,000 
			 Torbay 9,803,000 
			 Tower Hamlets 41,374,000 
			 Trafford 19,640,000 
			 Wakefield 26,151,000 
			 Walsall 31,562,000 
			 Waltham Forest 29,857,000 
			 Wandsworth 33,551,000 
			 Warrington 16,477,000 
			 Warwickshire 50,882,000 
			 West Berkshire 15,740,000 
			 West Sussex 82,191,000 
			 Westminster 23,203,000 
			 Wigan 26,272,000 
			 Wiltshire 32,696,000 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 13,389,000 
			 Wirral 32,642,000 
			 Wokingham 12,113,000 
			 Wolverhampton 24,712,000 
			 Worcestershire 46,703,000 
			 York 13,729,000 
		
	
	The Department does not have a record or calculate the differences on a per pupil basis. It is a matter for each local authority to determine how it distributes funding to schools.
	With regard to part  (b), local authorities do not provide us with returns on the amounts that they are intending to spend on teaching pupils for whom English is an additional language.

Truancy: Disadvantaged

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils designated as persistent absentees were entitled to free school meals in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by school year.

Kevin Brennan: The requested information is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Primary, secondary and special schools( 1, 2) : Persistent absentees known to be eligible for free school meals by national curriculum year group( 3)  2006-07: England 
			   O f which :  known to be eligible for free school meals: 
			  National Curriculum Year Group:  Number of persistent absentees  Percentage of enrolments( 4)  Number of persistent absentees known to be eligible for free schools meals  Percentage of persistent absentees( 5) 
			 1 and below 13,420 2.4 5,690 42.4 
			 2 10,030 1.8 4,490 44.8 
			 3 9,280 1.6 4,140 44.6 
			 4 9,330 1.6 4,140 44.3 
			 5 10,270 1.7 4,580 44.5 
			 6 10,230 1.8 4,560 44.6 
			 7 19,100 3.3 8,410 44.0 
			 8 29,090 4.9 11,610 39.9 
			 9 38,540 6.4 14,310 37.1 
			 10 51,500 8.4 16,670 32.4 
			 11 66,730 11.1 17,080 25.6 
			 12 and above 90 9.7 20 16.9 
			 Total (7) 272,950 4.1 95,760 35.1 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. Includes maintained secondary schools, city technology colleges and academies (including all-through academies).  (3) Persistent absentees are defined as having more than 63 sessions of absence (authorised and unauthorised) during the year, typically over 20 per cent. absence rate.  (4) Number of persistent absentees expressed as a percentage of the total number of enrolments.  (5) The number of persistent absentees known to be eligible for free school meals by year group expressed as a percentage of the number of persistent absentees in same year group.   Note:  Numbers of enrolments have been rounded to the nearest 10.   Source:  School Census

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Adult Education: Finance

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what his latest estimate is of  (a) the likely total value of payments made in adult learning grant during 2007-08 and  (b) the likely cost of administering adult learning grants in that year.

David Lammy: The Learning and Skills Council for England manage the adult learning grant on behalf of the Department. Adult learning grant became available across England from September 2007 following trialling in four LSC regions. The LSC contracts with Liberata, which provides helpline, assessment and payment services. Final figures for 2007-08 are not yet available but the LSC estimate that  (a) the total payments made to learners for the adult learning grant during 2007-08 was 11.98 million and  (b) the cost of administering the adult learning grant during 2007-08 was 1:07 million.

Adult Education: Finance

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which organisations are responsible for administering adult learning grant in Buckinghamshire.

David Lammy: The Learning and Skills Council for England administer the adult learning grant nationally on behalf of the Department. The LSC contracts with a single helpline, assessment and payment body, Liberata, who process applications and payments on behalf of the LSC throughout England.

Adult Education: Finance

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many applications for the adult learning grant have been  (a) made,  (b) accepted and  (c) refused in (i) the London Borough of Bexley and (ii) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency.

David Lammy: Adult learning grant has been available throughout England since September 2007, and during its pilot phase, showed that it was successful at helping more individuals raise their skill levels through completing their training and gaining a qualification. It is intended to help low skilled individuals in work on low incomes achieve their first full level 2 or first full level 3 qualification. The grant offers up to 30 per week.
	The issues raised are matters for the Learning and Skills Council who administer the adult learning grant for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and have responsibility for the contract with the helpline, assessment and payment body. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Adult Education: Finance

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which organisations are responsible for administering adult learning grant in Bexley.

David Lammy: The Learning and Skills Council for England administer the adult learning grant nationally on behalf of the Department. The LSC contracts with a single helpline, assessment and payment body, Liberata, who process applications and payments on behalf of the LSC throughout England.

Adult Education: Finance

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  where the call centre handling calls to the adult learning grant helpline is located;
	(2)  what the average length of time is for an application for adult learning grant to be processed following receipt of a completed application form;
	(3)  what training is given to staff responsible for responding to calls by members of the public to the adult learning grant helpline; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how many  (a) staff and  (b) full-time equivalent staff are employed to manage and operate the adult learning grant helpline;
	(5)  how many applications for adult learning grant have been  (a) made, ( b) accepted and  (c) refused in (i) England, (ii) the area of the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Learning and Skills Council, (iii) Buckinghamshire and (iv) Aylesbury parliamentary constituency in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Adult learning grant has been available throughout England since September 2007 and during its pilot phase showed that it was successful at helping more individuals raise their skill levels through completing their training and gaining a qualification. It is intended to help low skilled individuals in work on low incomes achieve their first full Level 2 or first full Level 3 qualification. The grant offers up to 30 per week.
	The issues raised are matters for the Learning and Skills Council adult learning grant for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and have responsibility for the contract with the helpline, assessment and payment body. Mark Haysom, the Council's chief executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Verity Bullough, dated 10 April 2008:
	In the absence of Mark Haysom I am writing in response to your parliamentary questions that asked:
	 1. What performance indicators have been set to asses the (a) quality of customer service provided by the adult learning grant helpline and (b) efficiency of the processing of applications for adult learning grant; and if he will make a statement.
	The administration of Adult Learning Grant moves to a new system from September 2008, This is part of wider changes to bring together the delivery of a number of strands of the LSC Learner Support, Programme, in order to give improved service to prospective learners.
	Delivery of the Adult Learning Grant on the old system in the first term of this academic year was not always satisfactory. Service performance indicators have been set for the new system and these have been met since early January. A baseline survey of the helpline was carried out last year and will be repeated when the new service is in operation, to assess improvement and customer satisfaction.
	 2. How many applications to grant have been (a) made, (b) accepted and (c) refused in (i) England, (ii) the area of the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Learning and Skills Council, (iii) Buckinghamshire and (iv) Aylesbury parliamentary constituency in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.
	Application information is available at LSC area level but not at local authority or constituency level.
	The table below shows application data for the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes LSC area.
	
		
			  Area  Applications received  Applications accepted (Awards)  Applications refused  Applications in progress 
			 England 31,786 22,227 7,050 2,509 
			 Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes 572 421 104 47 
		
	
	 3. Where the call centre handling calls to the Adult Learning Grant helpline is located.
	The Call Centre dedicated to handling Adult Learning Grant calls is in Manchester, with a back-up site in Barrow and imminent further back-up sites in Coventry and Darlington.
	 4. What training is given to staff responsible for responding to calls by members of the public to the Adult Learning Grant helpline; and if he will make a statement.
	Advisors undertake an initial two week training course incorporating mentoring with an experienced advisor and ongoing support and guidance from team leaders. Training continues throughout the Advisors' employment
	 5. What is the average length of time for an application for Adult Learning Grant to be processed following receipt of a completed application form.
	Applications are processed and a communication to the applicant is sent within 10 days of receipt.
	 6. How many (a) staff and (b) full-time equivalent staff are employed to manage and operate the Adult Learning Grant helpline.
	Staff levels dedicated to ALG calls vary in accordance with volumes of calls. There is a core of 7 full-time staff increasing to 27 full-time staff as required.
	 7. What is the average length of time for dispatch of an Adult Learning Grant pack following receipt of a request from a member of the public.
	ALG application forms are available from learning providers, Nextstep, Connexions and Learndirect. Learndirect despatch application packs direct to applicants within two working days of the request being made by 2(nd) class post. Learndirect advise callers that the application form should be with them within 7 days.

Adult Education: Finance

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the average length of time is for dispatch of an adult learning grant pack following receipt of a request from a member of the public.

David Lammy: Adult learning grant has been available throughout England since September 2007 and during its pilot phase showed that it was successful at helping more individuals raise their skill levels through completing their training and gaining a qualification. It is intended to help low skilled individuals in work on low incomes achieve their first full Level 2 or first full Level 3 qualification. The grant offers up to 30 per week.
	The issues raised are matters for the Learning and Skills Council who administer the adult learning grant for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and have responsibility for the contract with the helpline, assessment and payment body. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Verity Bullough, dated 10 April 2008:
	In the absence of Mark Haysom I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Questions that asked;
	 1.  What performance indicators have been set to assess the (a) quality of customer service provided by the adult learning grant helpline and (b) efficiency of the processing of applications for adult learning grant; and if he will make a statement.
	The administration of Adult Learning Grant moves to a new system from September 2008. This is part of wider changes to bring together the delivery of a number of strands of the LSC Learner Support, Programme, in order to give improved service to prospective learners.
	Delivery of the Adult Learning Grant on the old system in the first term of this academic year was not always satisfactory. Service performance indicators have been set for the new system and these have been met since early January. A baseline survey of the helpline was carried out last year and will be repeated when the new service is in operation, to assess improvement and customer satisfaction.
	 2. How many applications for adult learning grant have been (a) made, (b) accepted and (c) refused in (i) England, (ii) the area of the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Learning and Skills Council, (iii) Buckinghamshire and (iv) Aylesbury parliamentary constituency in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.
	Application information is available at LSC area level but not at Local Authority or constituency level.
	The table below shows application data for the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes LSC area.
	
		
			  Area  Applications Received  Applications Accepted (Awards)  Applications Refused  Applications in progress 
			 England 31,786 22,227 7,050 2,509 
			 Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes 572 421 104 473 
		
	
	 3. Where the call centre handling calls to the Adult Learning Grant helpline is located.
	The Call Centre dedicated to handling Adult Learning Grant calls is in Manchester, with a back-up site in Barrow and imminent further back-up sites in Coventry and Darlington.
	 4. What training is given to staff responsible for responding to calls by members of the public to the Adult Learning Grant helpline; and if he will make a statement.
	Advisors undertake an initial two week training course incorporating mentoring with an experienced advisor and ongoing support and guidance from team leaders. Training continues throughout the Advisors' employment.
	 5. What is the average length of time for an application for Adult Learning Grant to be processed following receipt of a completed application form.
	Applications are processed and a communication to the applicant is sent within 10 days of receipt.
	 6. How many (a) staff and (b) full-time equivalent staff are employed to manage and operate the Adult Learning Grant helpline.
	Staff levels dedicated to ALG calls vary in accordance with volumes of calls. There is a core of 7 full time staff increasing to 27 full time staff as required.
	 7. What is the average length of time for dispatch of an Adult Learning Grant pack following receipt of a request from a member of the public.
	ALG application forms are available from learning providers, Nextstep, Connexions and Learndirect. Learndirect despatch application packs direct to applicants within two working days of the request being made, by 2nd class post. Learndirect advise callers that the application form should be with them within 7 days.

Adult Education: Numeracy

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent steps the Government has taken to improve the numeracy skills of adults.

David Lammy: On 17 March the Department, working with the Learning and Skills Council, launched the first phase of a new high-profile marketing campaign to encourage adults in England to improve their numeracy skills. In addition, the Department is working with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics and a range of partners to develop a new plan for meeting the numeracy challenge. This plan, to be published in the coming months, will ensure increased demand, supply and quality of adult numeracy provision.
	Good numeracy skills are crucial to life and work. Free numeracy courses are available to adults in England through the Government's Skills for Life strategy, which was launched in 2001. We are currently committed to improving the numeracy and literacy skills of 2.25 million adults by 2010. So far, 1,759,000 adults have improved their skills and gained a first qualification, and we are on course to meet the 2010 target.
	Our longer term ambition, as set out in World Class Skills, is for 95 per cent. of adults to have functional numeracy skills by 2020, up from 79 per cent. in 2005. To achieve this trajectory the Learning and Skills Council's recent Statement of Priorities set out plans to deliver 390,000 numeracy achievements at Entry Level 3 or above during the period 2008 to 2011.

Adult Education: Offenders

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the Government's policy is on the eligibility of ex-prisoners who have been released on licence at the end of their term in custody for adult learning grant; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Ex-prisoners, who have been released on licence at the end of their term in custody, are able to apply for the adult learning grant (ALG) subject to meeting the full eligibility criteria. The grant is primarily intended to help individuals in work with low skills and on low incomes; individuals receiving out of work benefits are not eligible for ALG. Participants must be undertaking full time learning for their first full Level 2 or first full Level 3 qualification. Serving prisoners who are released on temporary licence to attend college are not eligible for ALG.
	The 'on licence' process helps offenders re-build their lives, return to their families and gain work. For those offenders wishing to gain qualifications, ALG can help support them in that learning. ALG has been available throughout England since September 2007 and during its pilot phase showed that it was successful at helping more individuals complete their training and gain a qualification.

Adult Education: Standards

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what performance indicators have been set to assess the  (a) quality of customer service provided by the adult learning grant helpline and  (b) efficiency of the processing of applications for adult learning grant; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Adult learning grant has been available throughout England since September 2007 and during its pilot phase showed that it was successful at helping more individuals raise their skill levels through completing their training and gaining a qualification, It is intended to help low skilled individuals in work on low incomes achieve their first full level 2 or first full level 3 qualification. The grant offers up to 30 per week.
	The issues raised are matters for the Learning and Skills Council for England who administer the adult learning grant for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and have responsibility for the contract with the helpline, assessment and payment body, Mark Haysom, the Council's chief executive; will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Verity Bullough, dated 10 April 2008:
	In the absence of Mark Haysom I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Questions that asked:
	 1. What performance indicators have been set to assess the (a) quality of customer service provided by the adult learning grant helpline and (b) efficiency of the processing of applications for adult learning grant; and if he will make a statement.
	The administration of Adult Learning Grant moves to a new system from September 2008. This is part of wider changes to bring together the delivery of a number of strands of the LSC Learner Support, Programme, in order to give improved service to prospective learners.
	Delivery of the Adult Learning Grant on the old system in the first term of this academic year was not always satisfactory. Service performance indicators have been set for the new system and these have been met since early January. A baseline survey of the helpline was carried out last year and will be repeated when the new service is in operation, to assess improvement and customer satisfaction.
	 2. How many applications for adult learning grant have been (a) made, (b) accepted and (c) refused in (i) England, (ii) the area of the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Learning and Skills Council, (iii) Buckinghamshire and (iv) Aylesbury parliamentary constituency in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.
	Application information is available at LSC area level but not at Local Authority or constituency level.
	The table below shows application data for the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes LSC area.
	
		
			  Area  Applications received  Applications accepted (awards)  Applications refused  Applications in progress 
			 England 31,786 22,227 7,050 2,509 
			 Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes 572 421 104 47 
		
	
	 3. Where the call centre handling calls to the Adult Learning Grant helpline is located.
	The Call Centre dedicated to handling Adult Learning Grant calls is in Manchester, with a back-up site in Barrow and imminent further back-up sites in Coventry and Darlington,
	 4. What training is given to staff responsible for responding to calls by members of the public to the Adult Learning Grant helpline; and if he will make a statement.
	Advisors undertake an initial two week training course incorporating mentoring with an experienced advisor and ongoing support and guidance from team leaders. Training continues throughout the Advisors' employment
	 5. What is the average length of time for an application for Adult Learning Grant to be processed following receipt of a completed application form.
	Applications are processed and a communication to the applicant is sent within 10 days of receipt.
	 6. How many (a) staff and (b) full-time equivalent staff are employed to manage and operate the Adult Learning Grant helpline.
	Staff levels dedicated to ALG calls vary in accordance with volumes of calls. There is a core of 7 full time staff increasing to 27 full time staff as required.
	 7. What is the average length for dispatch of an Adult Learning Grant pack following receipt of a request from a member of the public.
	ALG application forms are available from learning providers, Nextstep, Connexions and Learndirect. Learndirect despatch application packs direct to applicants within two working days of the request being made, by 2nd class post. Learndirect advise callers that the application form should be with them within 7 days.

Agriculture: Qualifications

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps are being taken to promote agriculture-related degrees and further education qualifications.

Bill Rammell: Careers advice in schools and colleges provides information on the variety of routes into agriculture including apprenticeships, the Diploma in Land-based industries and Foundation Degrees, Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land-based sector, has a key role in supporting the development and promotion of education and training provision which meets the sector's requirements. It is currently promoting the Year of Food and Farming, which offers children opportunities to experience farm activities and learn more about environmental issues related to food and the countryside.

Aimhigher Initiative

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1291W, on Aimhigher Initiative, what the reasons are for the change in expenditure levels on the aim higher programme.

Bill Rammell: In 2004-05, both the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the then Department for Education and Skills made additional, one-off, contributions to the Aimhigher budget. The funds were from underspends elsewhere, and amounted to over 25 million in total. In 2004, Ministers reviewed the programme and, in the light of the decision to introduce the Higher Education Grant, decided to reduce expenditure on Aimhigher to help fund the increases in student support, thereby providing more money directly to students from less well-off backgrounds. The growth in expenditure on student support was shown in the answer to Question 172276.
	The Government remain committed to Aimhigher and recently announced its extension to 2011. The Government and HEFCE have together allocated 239.5 million for the three years. This represents a substantial investment and is an indication of our continuing commitment to widen participation in higher education in line with the country's social and economic needs. More young people than ever before are applying to go to university. As of 15 January 2008, 311,741 people from England applied through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) for 2008 HE entry, an increase of 7.1 per cent. on the same point of the previous year. Of the 18-year-olds and under applying for whom social class background is known, 28.9 per cent. are from lower socio-economic groups, up from 28.2 per cent. in 2007.

Apprentices

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of recent trends in the take-up of apprenticeships.

David Lammy: The latest figures available for take-up of apprenticeships are for 2006/07 and show 180,000 starts compared to 2005/06 figures of 175,000.
	This is a marked increase in apprenticeship starts and this improvement is also reflected in the improving completion rate which is currently 63 per cent.
	World-class Apprenticeships looked at current trends in the context of expanding provision and we aim to build on the outcomes and improve the quality of apprenticeship provision and the apprenticeship experience for young people and adults.

Apprentices: Death

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many fatalities occurred during training for apprenticeships in 2006-07.

David Lammy: There was one fatality on apprenticeships in 2006/07.

Apprentices: Employment

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills in which 10 professions where an apprenticeship scheme is in operation employment shortages were highest in the last period for which figures are available.

David Lammy: Information about employment shortages by apprenticeship framework is not available.

Apprentices: Foreigners

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of people in apprenticeships who are not UK nationals; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Information about the nationality of people on apprenticeships is not collected centrally by the Learning and Skills Council or the Department. Individual employers and training providers may hold nationality and other information to ensure people have the right to work in this country.

Apprentices: Unemployment

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills in which 10 professions rates of unemployment of those completing an apprenticeship were highest in the last period for which figures are available.

David Lammy: There are no reliable estimates available. However, using the Annual Population Survey it is possible to calculate approximate estimates of the unemployment rates for those who hold an apprenticeship for various occupational groups. The following table shows for those holding an apprenticeship estimates for 2006 for the 10 minor occupational groupings with the highest unemployment rates. It should be noted that the apprenticeship may have been gained at any point in the respondents' working life and therefore will include many old trade apprenticeships. The occupation groupings are based on current job (if employed) and last job (if unemployed) and these may not be the same as the occupation grouping of the apprenticeship held. The analysis is for England and covers females aged 19-59 and males aged 19-64. These estimates are based on small samples and are not robust as the confidence intervals shown in the table make clear.
	Taking all those holding an apprenticeship does provide robust estimates and for 2006 the ILO unemployment rate for those holding an apprenticeship was 2.8 per cent. compared with 4.8 per cent. for all adults aged 19-59/64.
	
		
			  10 minor occupational groupings( 1)  with highest ILO unemployment rates( 2)  for people( 3)  holding an apprenticeship (Annual Population Survey, England, 2008) 
			95 per cent. confidence interval for unemployment rate 
			  Occupation group  Unemployment rate  Lower bound  Upper bound 
			 Managers in Hospitality and Leisure 9.9 3.7 16.2 
			 Sales Related Occupations 9.5 3.0 16.0 
			 IT Service Delivery Occupations 9.3 1.4 17.2 
			 Assemblers and Routine Operatives 8.8 4.7 12.9 
			 Elementary Personal Service Occupations 8.1 2.8 13.4 
			 Financial Institution and Office Managers 7.5 1.2 13.9 
			 Customer Service Occupations 7.3 1.3 13.3 
			 Mobile Machine Drivers and Operatives 6.7 1.4 11.9 
			 Elementary Administration Occupations 6.5 1.5 11.4 
			 Elementary Process Plant Occupations 6.4 2.0 10.9 
			 (1) Based on Standard Occupational Classification 2000. (2) Defined as the unemployed as a percentage of the economically active (employed plus unemployed). (3) Females aged 19-59 and males aged 19-64.

Asbestos

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many notifications his Department has received of the presence of asbestos in property for which his Department has responsibility in the last 12 months.

David Lammy: All property occupied by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is managed on our behalf by, and is the responsibility of, the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, and the Department for Children Schools and Families. But in any event, no notifications of the presence of asbestos in property occupied by the Department have been received in the last 12 months.

Astronomy: Finance

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will place in the Library the documents his Department holds relating to the withdrawal of funding for all ground-based solar terrestrial physics facilities in the UK; and on what date the withdrawal of this funding was announced publicly.

Ian Pearson: The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is responsible for decisions relating to the funding of ground-based solar terrestrial physics facilities in the UK. STFC intends to highlight the relevant documentation available shortly on its website. Decisions about the withdrawal from a number of specific ground-based solar terrestrial physics facilities was announced by STFC's predecessor, the Particle Physics Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) on August 2006 in its delivery plan for 2006/07 to 2007/08. STFC proposes to honour the commitment that had also been made by PPARC, in its 2006/07 to 2007/08 delivery plan, to continue to support EISCAT (European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association) until 2011.
	The decision to withdraw from all ground-based solar terrestrial physics facilities was announced in the STFC delivery plan 2008/09 to 2011/12 published on 11 December 2007.

Astronomy: Finance

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the likely effect on British astronomy of proposed changes to the science and technology budget in future years.

Ian Pearson: The UK has traditionally played a leading role in astronomical research and will continue to do so via the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
	STFC is committed to ensuring that UK astronomers play a leading role in shaping the development of international research and to do so it will ensure UK astronomers continue to have access to world-leading facilities, for instance via membership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The UK will also continue to invest, in collaboration with European and other partners, in design studies for two future world-class facilities: an Extremely Large Telescope; and the Square Kilometre Array, the next generation radio telescope.

Colleges of Education: Carbon Emissions

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps the Government plans to take to reduce carbon emissions from further education colleges.

David Lammy: Launched by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills on the 27 March, Building Colleges for the Future outlines detailed proposals for the largest ever further education building works programme, which will see 2.3 billion invested over the next three years.
	As part of this record investment, the Government announced that they would require all new projects to meet the highest building standards for sustainable design, including the need to achieve an 'Excellent' BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) ratingwhich includes mandatory requirements on energy.
	In support of the Government's targets for reducing the UK's carbon emissions by at least 26 per cent. by 2020, the Government have also set a target of all new college buildings to be zero carbon by 2016 and has a task force in place to advise on how we may be able to move even more quickly to this position. The task force is expected to publish its findings and recommendations in summer 2008.

Conferences

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which overseas conferences have been attended by members of his Department since its establishment.

David Lammy: The Department was set up as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. The nature of the Department's business requires members to attend a range of overseas conferences convened by international organisations and by other countries with which we are working. We do not hold a record of these engagements.

Departmental Absenteeism

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the average annual absence rate amongst civil servants in his Department was in the last three years.

David Lammy: DIUS was created by Machinery of Government Changes in July 2007 from elements of the then Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department for Education and Skills (DfES).
	There are records of average working days lost per employee due to illness for the period from July to December 2007. DIUS continues to rely for this information on the computer systems of the departments from which it transferred staff at its inception. These show average working days lost per employee in the six month period of 2.7 for ex-DTI employees and 4.1 for ex-DfES employees.

Departmental Advertising

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of his Department's expenditure was on advertising in each year since establishment.

Bill Rammell: The Department's expenditure on advertising since its establishment is 2,416,687.
	To provide this as a percentage of overall departmental spend, the basis of departmental expenditure needs to be defined. The remit can include or exclude non-departmental public bodies, and as DIUS is in its first year of operation there is no audited expenditure information for the core department available. For these reasons, we are unable to provide this figure as a percentage of the Departments overall spend.

Departmental Advertising

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which of his Department's initiatives have been advertised to the public; and what the cost of each such campaign was since establishment of his Department.

David Lammy: The Department has run an advertising and promotional campaign on student financial support, which launched on 5 November 2007 and runs until 31 March 2008. The campaign had two strands and advertising media costs are broken down as follows:
	
		
			   
			   Television  Radio  Digital  Press  Partnerships( 1) 
			  Spend  
			 Strand 1 1,145,813 374,173 160,000  209,032 
			 Strand 2  188,011  185,337  
			 (1) Partnership activity involved the cost of advertorial space in partners' titles.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills at how many events held by his Department  (a) wine and  (b) Fairtrade wine were served in the last three years; and what assessment his Department has made of the merits of serving Fairtrade wine at future events.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) is a relatively new Department, formed on 28 June 2007. As a general rule because most of the events that we organise are held during the working day, we rarely use the public purse to purchase alcohol. The majority of our catered events supply tea, coffee, water or juice.
	DIUS has provided wine at only four meetings, two of which were receptions involving journalists, and the other two were planning meetings in the evening and involving a small group of college principals.
	Events sponsored by DIUS where wine is served are consequently few in number and if wine is ordered, the question of whether the wine is Fairtrade is only one of the factors that is taken into consideration, however contracts for catering services and supplies are awarded on the basis of the best value for money for the taxpayer. We have no record of whether the wine purchased on our behalf was Fairtrade wine.
	Nevertheless, the catering companies used by the Department do supply Fairtrade products.

Departmental Consultants

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many consultants contracted by his Department are former civil servants.

David Lammy: The Department was set up as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. The Department operates a devolved procurement structure for consultants, As such we do not centrally record previous career histories of consultants engaged by DIUS.

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether confidential or personal information has been compromised through the loss of property from his Department and its predecessor since 1997.

Bill Rammell: Except in exceptional cases, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive governments not to comment on breaches of security. However, following the publication of the Data Handling Procedures in Government: Interim Progress Report on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 98WS, all Departments will cover information assurance issues in their annual reports.

Departmental Marketing

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department spent on publicity and advertising in 2007-08.

David Lammy: DIUS was formed following Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007 and is in its first year of operation. Since the final adjustments have not been made for that financial year there is no audited expenditure information available. Publicity and advertising cover a very wide range of activities and we do not hold centrally information on all expenditure in this area.

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by Senior Civil Service staff in his Department in the last 12 month period for which figures are available.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created as a result of machinery of Government changes in June 2007. Information on expenditure to this detail is not collected centrally in the Department. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what percentage of staff in his Department were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years.

David Lammy: It is not possible to provide information for the whole period in question as the Department was created as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. However, I am able to tell you that 14 employees out of a total of 766 in the Department are presently making additional voluntary contributions to their Civil Service (Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme) pensions. This equates to 1.8 per cent. of the Department's employees.

Departmental Public Participation

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what opinion polls the Department has conducted of  (a) the public and  (b) staff since 27 June 2007; and what the (i) name of the firm employed to conduct the poll, (ii) purpose and (iii) cost to the public purse was in each case.

David Lammy: Consultations and engagement have taken place with the public since the Department was formed on 28 June 2007. No opinion polls of the public or DIUS staff have been conducted by the Department in that time. However, the Department undertakes discrete pieces of public-facing research in order to inform specific communications activities and programmes, such as those listed.
	 (1) Message development research for First to Go [to University] PR campaign
	(i) Company: Ticknet
	(ii) Audience: Parents and Students
	(iii) Objective: Help define and extend the student finance messages to households where no one has previously gone to university
	(iv) Cost: 8,000
	 (2) Strapline development research for Foundation Degrees
	(i) Company: Wardle McLean
	(ii) Audience: Employers, providers, Higher Education Institutions, students
	(iii) Objective: Test audience perceptions of the use of the words 'Foundation Degree'
	(iv) Cost: 23,250

Departmental Public Relations

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many external contracts his Department has held with public relations companies since its inception; and what the total cost of those contracts was.

David Lammy: The information provided relates to both the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills, which were formed following the Machinery of Government changes in June 2007. It is not possible to provide separate costs for each Department during 2007-08 except at disproportionate cost.
	Both Departments employ public relations agencies for specific communications tasks, most commonly working alongside our press offices to provide campaign support in local, regional and specialist media companies. They have used such agencies for 15 campaigns at a cost of 1.085 million since June 2007. These figures include contracts placed by both Departments using a framework agreement and by the Central Office of Information (COI) on our behalf.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many working days were lost by his Department due to stress-related illness in each of the last 24 months.

David Lammy: The percentage of working days lost by the Department's staff attributed to stress-related conditions during the six months from July to December amount to 15.6 per cent. of all working days lost due to sickness absence. It would involve disproportionate cost to disaggregate the records to present this information on a monthly basis. My Department was set up as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007, so the percentage is based on figures from 1 July to 31 December 2007 (the latest information available).
	The Department is committed to providing a safe working environment and has put in place a range of measures to support all employees on health and wellbeing issues, including the provision of professional counselling and occupational health services.

Departmental Sick Pay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the cost of sickness pay to staff within his Department was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: DIUS was created by Machinery of Government changes in July 2007 from elements of the previous Department of Trade and Industry and Department for Education and Skills.
	Consequently, even if the Department routinely calculated the actual cost of sickness absence it would not have figures for a full year. The Department does not keep such a record presently because this would involve manually investigating employee sickness records and pay details on an individual basis. The cost of doing so would be disproportionate to the benefits arising. Instead, the Department has undertaken calculations on the basis of average working days lost and average salaries in the first six month of its existence. On this basis, the total cost of sickness is around 189,000 for six months.

Departmental Training

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many staff in his Department and its agencies have attended the  (a) Influencing with Integrity,  (b) Emotional Intelligence,  (c) Counselling Skills for the Workplace,  (d) Managing your Confidence,  (e) Balancing Work/ Life Realities and  (f) Working Assertively training course run by the National School of Government in the last 12 months for which information is available; and at what cost.

David Lammy: The Department was set up as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. In the period since it was formed records show the following participation by employees in the specified training programmes run by the National School of Government:
	Influencing with Integrity: one employee at a cost of 726;
	Working Assertively: two employees at a combined cost of 1,452.
	Total cost involved: 2,178.

Departmental Travel

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department has spent on first class travel since establishment, broken down by staff grade.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created as a result of Machinery of government changes in June 2007. Information on travel expenditure to this detail is not collected centrally in the Department. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, year to date, the Department has spent 1,807,973 on travel and subsistence.

Departmental Vacancies

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many posts in his Department have remained vacant for over three months in the last 12 months.

David Lammy: The Department was set up as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. We have been keeping records of time taken to fill vacancies from 1 December 2007 this records time from advertising the post to the time a successful candidate is offered the post. Our records indicate that five posts have remained vacant for over three months and have been re-advertised.
	We do not keep records of vacant posts where no recruitment action is taken.

Departmental Working Hours

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many hours  (a) in total and  (b) on average per employee were worked by civil servants in his Department in the last year for which records are available.

David Lammy: The Department was created as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. Consequently, I am unable to provide information covering a longer period of time.
	Records of hours worked, including overtime, are kept by individual teams across the Department and could be amalgamated only at disproportionate cost. The contractual hours of employment in DIUS are 41 per week in London and 42 elsewhere, inclusive of an hour each day as a rest break.
	Subject to business needs, flexible working arrangements are available to all staff, together with scope for approved home working, part-time working and job sharing arrangements. The intention is to enable an appropriate balance to be struck between personal and work responsibilities. With this in mind, efforts are made to avoid overtime or extra hours being worked, with guidelines to the effect that this should be used only during periods of exceptional pressure of work.

Diplomatic Service

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what representation his Department has in UK overseas posts; and at what level.

David Lammy: DIUS interests are mainly represented in overseas posts by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British Council. The level of representation varies according to the size of post and the amount and significance of bilateral activity. On science and innovation issues, the Government have recently announced that DIUS will assume responsibility for leading and managing science and innovation attaches based in embassies and high commissions overseas.

Disabled

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what targets his Department has set in relation to its employment of people with disabilities over the next five years.

David Lammy: DIUS is a new and relatively small Government Department, with the second smallest headcount in Whitehall. A member of the DIUS Departmental Board has been appointed as diversity champion to drive forward our commitment to diversity and a Diversity and Inclusion Programme Board has been established to set and deliver an effective strategy. We have already identified a number of priorities for intervention and the actions we will take to underpin them. These include the creation of a single database of information about the composition of our workforce so that we can assess our performance on equality and diversity relative to others and ensure that we are targeting action appropriately. We have also committed in principle to the setting of targets on representation within our workforce, including of disabled employees, with clear dates for achievement. This will form part of the wider proposition to employees and prospective employees of DIUS but at present the work is not sufficiently developed to indicate specific targets.

Discrimination

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many claims for discrimination, based on  (a) sex,  (b) race and  (c) sexual orientation, were brought by members of his Department and its predecessor and settled (i) in and (ii) out of court in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: It is not possible to provide information for the entirety of the period in question because my Department was created as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. However, in the period since the Department was formed there have been no claims of discrimination based on gender, race or sexual orientation.

Educational Institutions

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which further education colleges deliver higher education courses.

Bill Rammell: The following table lists the further education colleges which are directly funded by Higher Education Funding Council for England to deliver higher education courses, together with the provisional level of grant each college will receive in 2008-09.
	
		
			  Provisional HEFCE grant 2008-09 
			  Further education colleges   
			 Accrington and Rossendale College 628,843 
			 Askham Bryan College 1,430,746 
			 Barking College 881,394 
			 Bedford College 924,700 
			 Bexley College 78,577 
			 Bishop Burton College 2,750,685 
			 Blackburn College 7,914,131 
			 Blackpool and The Fylde College 6,474,241 
			 Bolton College 120,558 
			 Boston College 55,729 
			 Bradford 7,688,370 
			 Bridgwater College 578,038 
			 Bromley College of Further and Higher Education 66,800 
			 Brooklands College 453,864 
			 Calderdale College 727,318 
			 Carlisle College 523,842 
			 Castle College Nottingham 650,028 
			 Central Sussex College 574,704 
			 Chesterfield College 1,186,432 
			 Chichester College 520,031 
			 City of Bath College 522,957 
			 City College, Birmingham 308,143 
			 City College, Coventry 692,989 
			 City College, Manchester 1,898,818 
			 City College Plymouth 252,803 
			 City of Sunderland College 846,111 
			 City of Westminster College 1,072,184 
			 City of Wolverhampton College 63,523 
			 Cleveland College of Art and Design 1,916,437 
			 Craven College 220,664 
			 Croydon College 2,947,946 
			 Dearne Valley College 516,406 
			 Dewsbury College 1,026,829 
			 Doncaster College 3,399,298 
			 Dudley College of Technology 644,193 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College 321,455 
			 East Riding College 509,859 
			 Exeter College 584,605 
			 Fareham College 163,027 
			 Farnborough College of Technology 3,430,337 
			 Filton College 329,152 
			 Gateshead College 1,012,914 
			 Gloucestershire College of Arts and Technology 1,112,232 
			 The Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education 5,758,838 
			 Halesowen College 30,655 
			 Havering College of Further and Higher Education 4,376,635 
			 Henley College Coventry 576,187 
			 Hereford College of Arts 1,157,211 
			 Herefordshire College of Technology 360,028 
			 Highbury College, Portsmouth 795,990 
			 Hopwood Hall College 604,688 
			 Huddersfield Technical College 316,992 
			 Hull College 4,150,959 
			 Joseph Priestley College 35,537 
			 Kensington and Chelsea College 130,015 
			 Kingston College 327,325 
			 Lakes College - West Cumbria 901,461 
			 Lambeth College 27,884 
			 Leeds College of Art and Design 4,330,865 
			 Leeds College of Technology 183,284 
			 Leicester College 1,126,244 
			 Lewisham College 116,876 
			 Lincoln College 847,077 
			 Liverpool Community College 1,698,050 
			 Loughborough College 3,195,602 
			 Macclesfield College 2,145,158 
			 Manchester College of Arts and Technology 1,743,469 
			 Matthew Boulton College of Further and Higher Education 438,461 
			 Moulton College 998,173 
			 New College, Durham 3,707,031 
			 New College, Nottingham 2,495,449 
			 New College Stamford 534,379 
			 New College, Telford 65,119 
			 Newbury College 188,163 
			 Newcastle College 8,401,796 
			 North East Surrey College of Technology 3,714,079 
			 North East Worcestershire College 1,052,889 
			 North Lindsey College 2,302,185 
			 North Nottinghamshire College 126,511 
			 North Warwickshire and Hinckley College 493,252 
			 North West Kent College of Technology 128,651 
			 The College of North West London 774,449 
			 Northbrook College, Sussex 3,552,368 
			 Northumberland College 577,146 
			 Oxford and Cherwell Valley College 331,220 
			 Park Lane College 1,960,574 
			 Plymouth College of Art and Design 2,747,971 
			 Richmond upon Thames College 91,188 
			 Riverside College Halton 1,145,099 
			 Rotherham College of Arts and Technology 658,657 
			 Ruskin College 957,429 
			 Salford College 62,694 
			 Sandwell College 84,153 
			 The Sheffield College 1,174,020 
			 The Solihull College 1,485,237 
			 South Downs College 368,250 
			 South Leicestershire College 108,840 
			 South Nottingham College 330,105 
			 South Thames College 451,650 
			 Trafford College 620,396 
			 South Tyneside College 1,662,287 
			 Southampton City College 140,754 
			 Sparsholt College, Hampshire 2,254,380 
			 St Helens College 3,214,061 
			 Stephenson College 921,320 
			 Stockport College 3,204,729 
			 Stourbridge College 91,986 
			 Stratford upon Avon College 96,125 
			 Stroud College in Gloucestershire 60,580 
			 Swindon College 1,380,030 
			 Tameside College 438,306 
			 Telford College of Arts and Technology 114,584 
			 Totton College 14,448 
			 Tyne Metropolitan College 670,985 
			 Uxbridge College 300,439 
			 Wakefield College 1,281,344 
			 Walsall College 1,105,894 
			 Warwickshire College, Royal Leamington Spa, Rugby and More 3,098,983 
			 West Kent College 196,280 
			 West Nottinghamshire College 1,932,008 
			 West Thames College 473,164 
			 Westminster Kingsway College 1,025,999 
			 Wigan and Leigh College 2,168,535 
			 Wiltshire College 1,038,811 
			 Wirral Metropolitan College 1,214,253 
			 Worcester College of Technology 1,642,761 
			 York College 1,233,831 
			 Yorkshire Coast College of Further and Higher Education 253,742 
			 Overall total 166,884,146

English Language: Education

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of levels of demand for places on courses in English for speakers of other languages in London; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The demand for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses has been very high with funding and enrolments across England tripling since 2001.
	Detailed information on ESOL funding and enrolments is collected by the Learning and Skills Council (LSG) but this does not extend to waiting lists. However, some institutions, particularly in London, have suggested they have waiting lists of up to 24 months.
	A number of ESOL funding measures were introduced from August 2007 to help vulnerable learners. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has commissioned a report to look at the impact of these measures. The interim findings indicate a continuing high level of demand for ESOL and that the learner profile seems to be changing in some colleges, with more enrolments onto evening than daytime classes. A full report is planned for early spring.
	The national comprehensive spending review (CSR) has fixed ESOL spending until 2010 and participation figures in London have been forecast to align with this. London Learning and Skills Council has negotiated an increase in the size of its employer responsive budget for 2008-09 due to the specific socio-economic needs of London and ESOL needs for the individual and employers will be addressed within this.
	In addition, the London Learning and Skills Council is expanding the offer of ESOL Skills for Life to Entry Levels 1 and 2 within the train to gain service. The service will also be expanded to include the new ESOL for Work qualifications. This enables a greater flexibility for employers and individuals in accessing ESOL.

English Language: Education

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many places on courses for qualifications in English for speakers of other languages have been provided in London over the last eight years.

Bill Rammell: The Government have put adult skills at the heart of their strategy for long-term prosperity and social justice. The total Government investment in further education has increased by 52 per cent. in real terms between 1997-98 and 2006-07 and we are committed to further increases in adult participation funded through the Learning and Skills Council to 3.6 billion in 2010-11.
	Since 2001 the Government have invested over 3 billion through the Skills for Life Strategy. The strategy offers adults the chance to improve their basic skills by enrolling on further education courses and other provision leading to qualifications in literacy, numeracy and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL).
	So far, 4.7 million people have taken up 10.5 million Skills for Life learning opportunities nationally, including 2 million people who have improved their English language skills. The number of learners enrolled on ESOL courses in London between 2001 and July 2007 was 999,747.
	Information about ESOL provision before 2001 when the Government launched the Skills for Life Strategy is not held in a format from which comparable data can be extracted without disproportionate cost.

Fairtrade Initiative

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what his Department's policy is on the use of fair trade goods  (a) in staff catering facilities and  (b) at official departmental functions and meetings; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Catering facilities and for the Department are provided on our behalf by the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Both of those Departments have a policy to make fair trade products available throughout their catering operations.

Finance

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of making the support available to full-time over 25-year-olds enrolled on their first full level 3 course equivalent to that of full-time, home-based, first degree undergraduates in respect of  (a) grants,  (b) maintenance loans and  (c) fee loans;
	(2)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of making the support available to part-time over 25-year-olds enrolled on their first full level 3 course equivalent to that of full-time, home-based, first degree undergraduates in respect of  (a) grants,  (b) maintenance loans and  (c) fee loans; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of making the support available to full-time 19 to 25-year-olds enrolled on their first full level 3 course equivalent to that of full-time, home-based, first degree undergraduates in respect of  (a) grants,  (b) maintenance loans and  (c) fee loans; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Government offer a range of support for adults to enable them to get the skills they need for their career, or for progression, in whatever way best suits their needs, including both full and part-time provision.
	We have put in place a different set of support arrangements for learners on full level 3 courses in Further Education, compared to home-based university undergraduates. Our priority for level 3 entitlement learners is to help young adults to complete their initial education and provide full fee remission to protect them from increases in FE fees and learner support for those on low incomes; the Adult Learning Grant pays up to 30 per week during term times to help with learning costs for those studying for a first full level 3 (or first full level 2) qualification. They may then go on to higher education and take advantage of HE student support, or progress to higher skills training and/or employment. HE students undertake longer, more expensive courses, with higher additional incidental costs, such as books and materials, which is why the financial support arrangements are not directly comparable.
	We already have a strong package of measures in place to help young adults achieve advanced level 3 qualifications. In the Budget, the Chancellor announced an additional 60 million over the next three years for advanced level 3 skills. This will allow more individuals to get the skills they need to get second chances and unlock their talents. We will be exploring new and innovative approaches to delivering training that individuals and employers need.
	These new resources will move us a step closer to realising our ambitious vision for universal Skills Accounts where adults will be able to access significant investment in their skills, including an Apprenticeships credit to cover training costs. We will be undertaking trials of Skills Accounts in 2008/09 and 2009/10, with national roll-out from 2010. And increasing the number of Advanced Apprenticeships will be a key focus for these additional resources, building on the recommendations of the recent Apprenticeships review.

Further Education

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will place in the Library a copy of the options analysis for post-19 provision as referred to in the regulatory impact assessment for Raising Expectations: Enabling the system to deliver.

Bill Rammell: Following the creation of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills in June 2007 the Secretary of State, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills and I led an internal review of the post-19 skills landscape. The review considered a functional analysis of England's skills policy delivery mechanisms and was informed by stakeholder and other expert views given in confidence. The options examined for possible reconfigurations of the functions of the skills landscape were wide-ranging and comprehensive, as befits an organisational review following a major change in the Machinery of Government. The mechanism for the review was a series of ministerial submissions and discussions, focusing in on preferred options in an iterative process; no consolidated 'options analysis' covering the entire work of the internal review was compiled. The internal review resulted in the proposals published in Raising Expectations: Enabling the system to deliver, which are presented for external consultation until 9 June 2008.

Further Education: Admissions

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how many 19 to 25 year olds enrolled on their first full level 3 qualification there were in each year since 2001;
	(2)  how many  (a) 25 to 30,  (b) 25 to 35 and  (c) over 25 year olds enrolled on their first full level 3 course there were in each year since 2001.

Bill Rammell: The Government are committed to ensuring that young adults have the opportunity to complete their education and gain a full level 3 qualification that will enable them to progress into skilled employment or higher education. We are committed to achieving the 2011 indicator of 56 per cent. of working age adults qualified to at least full Level 3.
	The following table shows the number of people aged 19+ (to the nearest 1,000) doing full level 3 in each year since 2002/03 (the earliest available), and estimated numbers doing a first full level 3. Historical data on first full level 3 by the requested age-bands is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   2002/03  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07 
			  Further education  
			 Full Level 3 learners 124,000 122,000 125,000 161,000 156,000 
			  O f which:  
			 First full L3 68,000 67,000 69,000 89,000 86,000 
			   
			  Advanced apprenticeships  
			 Full Level 3 starts 36,000 32,000 28,000 30,000 32,000 
			  O f which:  
			 First full L3 22,000 19,000 17,000 18,000 19,000 
			  Note: This time series combined data on learner numbers from the Individualised Learner Record with information from the Learning and Skills Council's Prior Qualifications Survey on 'firstness'. The survey tells us that 55 per cent. of full Level 3 learners in FE and 60 per cent. of people starting an Advanced Apprenticeship are doing their first full Level 3.

Further Education: Higher Education

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2008,  Official Report, column 930W, on further education: higher education, what proportion of students were funded by  (a) the Higher Education Funding Council for England and  (b) the Learning and Skills Council.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Higher education enrolments at English further education colleges( 1)  by HEFCE and LSC f undedAcademic years 2001/02 to 2005/06 
			Of all enrolments:( 2)  Of all enrolments:( 2) 
			  Academic year  All enrolments  Number funded by HEFCE  Percentage funded by HEFCE  Number funded by LSC  Percentage funded by LSC 
			 2001/02 139,630 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2002/03 134,970 55,470 41.1 60,635 44.9 
			 2003/04 143,065 56,545 39.5 67,410 47.1 
			 2004/05 141,365 53,540 37.9 67,785 47.9 
			 2005/06 139,410 53,020 38.0 63,880 45.8 
			 n/a = Funding breakdown is not available for the 2001/02 academic year.  (1) Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies transferred to the higher education sector in 2002, Leeds College of Music transferred in July 2005, Reading College and School of Art and Design merged with Thames Valley University in December 2003 and higher education provision at Barnsley College and Oldham College transferred to the University of Huddersfield in August 2005.  (2) Includes students with other sources of funding, therefore the number of HEFCE funded plus the number of LSC funded will not sum to the number of all enrolments; likewise the proportions will not sum to 100 per cent.   Note:  Figures are on a DIUS Whole Year Count basis, which counts students enrolled at any point in the academic year, and have been rounded to the nearest five.   Source:  Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Individualised Learner Record. 
		
	
	The changes in the number of higher education enrolments at further education colleges will have been affected by the transfer of institutions from the further education sector to the higher education sector. The number of higher education enrolments at further education colleges will also have been affected by the transfer of higher education activity from further education colleges to higher education institutions under franchising arrangements. Franchising is a process where students take a course delivered by an institution on behalf of another institution and this often occurs between higher education institutions and further education colleges.

Further Education: Qualifications

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  what proportion of  (a) HNDs and  (b) HNCs were taught in further education colleges in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what proportion of foundation degrees were taught in further education colleges in the last 12 months.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Proportion of HND, HNC and foundation degree students( 1)  taught in English further education colleges, 2005-06 academic year 
			  Qualification aim  Proportion (percentage) 
			 HND 59 
			 HNC 84 
			 Foundation degree 53 
			 (1) Figures are on a headcount basis and cover all students registered at English higher education institutions and English further education colleges.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record and Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Individualised Learner Record (ILR). 
		
	
	An estimate for the 2007-08 academic year shows that there are almost 72,000 people studying foundation degrees. We are therefore making good progress towards achieving our target participation rate of 100,000 by 2010.
	We are committed to foundation degrees as a key vehicle for higher education expansion as they provide precisely the type of business-facing, demand-led provision that is helping employers to address higher level skill needs.

Further Education: VAT

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much VAT has been recovered from further education colleges following VAT inspection of the use of zero-rated buildings in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on the amount of VAT collected on individual goods and services.

Higher Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many full-time undergraduates applied to universities from each parental  (a) socio-economic group and  (b) income quintile in the last three years for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is shown in the table. Information on applicants to full-time undergraduate courses by parental income quintile is not available.
	
		
			  Number of English domiciled applicants to full-time undergraduate courses by National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC)Years of entry 2005 to 2007 
			   NS-SEC group  2005  2006  2007 
			Number  Percentage of known  Number  Percentage of known  Number  Percentage of known 
			 1 Higher managerial and professional occupations 59,189 21.0 56,970 21.8 60,438 21.7 
			 2 Lower managerial and professional occupations 88,153 31.3 81,037 31.1 85,708 30.8 
			 3 Intermediate occupations 42,927 15.2 37,797 14.5 39,770 14.3 
			 4 Small employers and own account workers 20,116 7.1 19,488 7.5 21,024 7.5 
			 5 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 13,078 4.6 12,151 4.7 12,735 4.6 
			 6 Semi-routine occupations 41,841 14.9 37,746 14.5 41,763 15.0 
			 7 Routine occupations 16,347 5.8 15,682 6.0 17,133 6.2 
			  Total known 281,651 100.0 260,871 100.0 278,571 100.0 
			  Unknown(1) 87,150  97,196  101,506  
			  Total 368,801  358,067  380,077  
			  Number of known in groups 1-3 190,269 67.6 175,804 67.4 185,916 66.7 
			  Number of known in groups 4-7 91,382 32.4 85,067 32.6 92,655 33.3 
			 (1) The proportion of applicants from unknown NS-SEC has increased from 23.6 per cent. in 2005 to 26.7 per cent. in 2007.  Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). 
		
	
	Overall, for all students from England, the UCAS figures show that, compared to 2006, applicants to full-time undergraduate courses who had been accepted for entry in 2007, rose by 6.1 per cent. to 307,000, the highest ever. Latest figures for students applying for entry in 2008, show that applicants from England are up by 7.1 per cent. compared to 2007.

Higher Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of students applying for full-time science undergraduate courses in  (a) the most recent UCAS round and  (b) the previous 10 years were from each socio-economic background.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information from Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is shown in the table. Figures for years earlier than 2002 have not been given because in this year the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) was first introduced. It replaced the Social Class (SC) classification, and the two classifications cannot be directly compared. Also in 2002, a new subject classification was introduced which is not comparable with the classification used in earlier years.
	
		
			  Number and proportion of English domiciled applicants to full-time science( 1 ) undergraduate courses by National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) years of entry 2002 to 2007 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  NS-SEC group( 2)  Number  %  of known  Number  %  of known  Number  %  of known  Number  %  of known  Number  %  of known  Number  %  of known 
			 1 22,525 24.2 22,499 24.0 22,577 23.8 22,602 22.9 22,256 23.9 22,954 23.6 
			 2 27,072 29.1 27,727 29.6 28,436 30.0 29,315 29.7 27,330 29.4 28,296 29.0 
			 3 14,293 15.4 13,993 14.9 14,342 15.1 14,963 15.2 13,639 14.7 13,881 14.2 
			 4 6,546 7.0 6,525 7.0 6,429 6.8 6,762 6.9 6,560 7.0 7,143 7.3 
			 5 4,432 4.8 4,842 5.2 4,588 4.8 4,751 4.8 4,454 4.8 4,690 4.8 
			 6 12,688 13.6 13,105 14.0 13,260 14.0 14,807 15.0 13,549 14.6 14,813 15.2 
			 7 5,440 5.8 5,110 5.4 5,132 5.4 5,408 5.5 5,309 5.7 5,650 5.8 
			 Total known 92,996 100.0 93,801 100.0 94,764 100.0 98,608 100.0 93,097 100.0 97,427 100.0 
			 Unknown(3) 16,814  19,610  19,256  26,190  29,147  29,857  
			 Total 109,810  113,411  114,060  124,798  122,244  127,284  
			 Groups 1 to 3 63,890 68.7 64,219 68.5 65,355 69.0 66,880 67.8 63,225 67.9 65,131 66.9 
			 Groups 4 to 7 29,106 31.3 29,582 31.5 29,409 31.0 31,728 32.2 29,872 32.1 32,296 33.1 
			 (1) Science undergraduate courses cover the following subject groups: Medicine and Dentistry; subjects allied to Medicine; Biological sciences; Veterinary science, Agriculture and related subjects; Physical sciences; Mathematical and Computer Science; Engineering; Technologies; Architecture, Building and Planning; and Combined Sciences. (2) Definitions of each of the NS-SEC groups are (1) Higher managerial and professional occupations; (2) Lower managerial and professional occupations; (3) Intermediate occupations; (4) Small employers and own account workers; (5) Lower supervisory and technical occupations;(6) Semi-routine occupations and (7) Routine occupations. (3) The proportion of applicants from unknown NS-SEC has increased from 15.3 per cent. in 2002 to 23.5 per cent. in 2007.  Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). 
		
	
	Overall, for all students from England, the UCAS figures show that, compared to 2006, applicants to all full-time undergraduate courses who had been accepted for entry in 2007, rose by 6.1 per cent. to 307,000, the highest ever. This includes increases in accepted applicants to first degree courses in physics (up by 9.8 per cent.), chemistry (up by 8.8 per cent.) and maths (up by 9.3 per cent.).
	Latest figures for students applying for entry in 2008, show that, as at the middle of January, applicants to all full-time undergraduate courses from England are up by 7.1 per cent. compared to 2007.

Higher Education: Admissions

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many students in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency entered higher education in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05,  (c) 2005-06 and  (d) 2006-07.

Bill Rammell: The information is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Entrants to undergraduate courses at UK higher education institutions from Morecambe and Lunesdale parliamentary constituency, academic years 2003/04 to 2006/07 
			  Academic year  Entrants 
			 2003/04 1,400 
			 2004/05(1) 1,260 
			 2005/06 1,430 
			 2006/07 1,620 
			 (1) Figures for the Open university for 2004/05 have been included but these are known to undercount entrants to undergraduate courses at the Open university.  Notes: 1. Figures are based on a HESA Standard Registration Population and have been rounded to the nearest five. 2. Figures cover students on full-time and part-time modes of study.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	Overall, for all students from England, the UCAS figures show that, compared to 2006, applicants who had been accepted for entry in 2007 rose by 6.1 per cent. to 307,000, the highest ever. Latest figures for students applying for entry in 2008 show that applicants from England are up by 7.1 per cent. compared to 2007.

Higher Education: Admissions

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the higher education initial participation rate was in each year since 1997, broken down by  (a) 18 to 21 and  (b) 22 to 30 year olds in each local education authority area.

Bill Rammell: The main measure for tracking progress on increasing participation is the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR). This is the sum of the HE initial participation rates for individual ages between 17 and 30 inclusive. It covers English-domiciled first time entrants to HE courses, which are expected to last for at least six months, at UK Higher Education Institutions and English, Scottish and Welsh Further Education Colleges, and who remain on their course for at least six months. The latest available figures are shown in Table 1:
	
		
			  Table 1: Higher Education Initial Participation Rate for 17-30 year olds 
			  Percentage 
			   HEIPR (17-30)  HEIPR (18-21)  HEIPR (22-30) 
			 1999-2000 39 39.2 32 32.4 7 6.5 
			 2000-01 40 39.6 33 33.0 6 6.3 
			 2001-02 40 40.2 34 33.6 6 6.3 
			 2002-03 41 41.1 34 33.8 7 6.9 
			 2003-04 40 40.2 33 32.9 7 7.0 
			 2004-05 40 40.1 33 32.7 7 7.0 
			 2005-06 42 42.5 35 35.0 7 7.2 
			 2006-07 40 39.8 33 32.6 7 6.8 
			  Notes:  1. The HEIPR is usually published to the nearest integer, but the figures are included to one decimal place to inform comparisons over time.  2. Numbers are quoted to the nearest thousand.  Source:  Participation Rates in Higher Education: Academic Years 1999/2000-2006/07 (Provisional) published by DIUS (2008). The HEIPR is not disaggregated below national level, and figures are not available for Earlier years than 1999/2000. 
		
	
	Everyone has known for a long time that student applications fell for 2006/07the first year of variable fees. We also know that they recovered strongly for 2007/08, to resume an upward trend. The numbers fall of 2006/07 has affected the HEIPR for that year. Unsurprisingly it has fallen. A year from now, we will know how the counterbalancing rises of 2007/08 will affect the HEIPR, We expect to see an increase in the HEIPR.

Higher Education: Admissions

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many students formerly eligible for free school meals were admitted to a university in 2007.

Bill Rammell: Analysts in the Department are currently working on producing progression figures for FSM and non-FSM pupils, and we are planning to publish these in May.

Higher Education: Admissions

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many pupils from maintained schools studied for a  (a) physics and  (b) chemistry degree in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the following table. The figures are taken from data collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and they show the previous school type of students who were accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses via the UCAS application system, in each year since 2002. The figures do not therefore cover part-time students, nor those full-time students who apply directly to Higher Education Institutions. Comparable figures for earlier years are not held centrally.
	
		
			  Applicants from the UK accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses in physics and chemistryby previous school type, years of entry 2002 to 2007 
			   Year of entry 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Physics courses:   
			 Maintained sector(1) 2,140 2,080 1,879 2,050 2,148 2,353 
			 Independent schools 341 362 338 3m 321 391 
			 Unknown(2) 245 200 218 285 154 161 
			 Total 2;726 2,642 2,435 2,654 2,623 2,905 
			
			  Chemistry courses:   
			 Maintained sector(1) 2,209 2,128 2,205 2,501 2,616 2,808 
			 Independent schools 356 352 355 410 433 494 
			 Unknown(2) 327 318 237 280 218 228 
			 Total 2,892 2,798 2,797 3,191 3,267 3,130 
			 (1) Includes accepted applicants from comprehensive schools, FE/HE institutions, grammar schools, sixth form colleges, sixth form centres, other maintained establishments, and other establishments. (2) Includes accepted applicants who did not provide details of their previous school type.

Higher Education: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what non-government organisations and groups he consulted prior to his Department's decision to reduce equal and lower qualification funding.

Bill Rammell: We took this decision from first principles in order to increase and widen participation in higher education. It would have been pointless to consult on an issue where we had already decided what to do, as a matter of principle, and successive Governments have all taken major strategic decisions about principled priorities in this way. However, we asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to consult extensively on the details of how our decision might best be implemented and our final proposals reflect the results of that consultation.

Higher Education: Internet

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will encourage universities not to use information from social networking sites when making decisions on  (a) student admissions and  (b) staff recruitment.

Bill Rammell: Admissions decisions are a matter for individual higher education institutions (HEIs) who, as independent bodies, have discretion over their own admission policies and procedures. HIEs are also responsible for their own staff recruitment and for determining the policies and practices that apply to this, in line with employment and equality legislation. The Department does not therefore issue guidance in these areas.
	I have been reassured by the Supporting Professionalism in Admissions (SPA) team, who provide a centre of expertise in admissions matters, that such practices are not a feature of university admissions, despite press suggestions to the contrary. I expect admissions officers to continue to select suitable candidates based on their achievements and potential as they do now. Social and other networking sites will not provide reliable and authenticated evidence of the kind required to support such important decisions.
	As outlined, above HE institutions operate within a legal framework in relation to recruitment, like other employers. As such, they would be responsible for determining their legal position if they chose to make use of material that candidates have placed in the public domain in their recruitment processes. Institutions must comply with the law and in our view they should also comply with best practice in their recruitment processes.

Higher Education: Overseas Students

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of the first-degree student population enrolled at higher education institutions were from non-EU countries in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The available information is given in the table. Figures for 2007/08 will be available in January 2009.
	
		
			  First degree enrolments by domicile English higher education institutions( 1) Academic years 1997/98 to 2006/07 
			Of which : 
			  Academic year  Total first degree enrolments  Number from UK  Proportion  (%)  from UK  Number from EU  Proportion  (%)  from EU  Number from Non-EU  Proportion  (%)  from Non-EU 
			 1997/88 802,710 720,475 89.8 39,245 4.9 42,995 5.4 
			 1998/99 811,780 729,705 89.9 41,405 5.1 40,665 5.0 
			 1999/2000 810,150 729,085 90.0 41,345 5.1 39,720 4.9 
			 2000/01 812,175 731,185 90.0 39,160 4.8 41330 5.2. 
			 2001/02 834,130 752,470 90.2 35,455 4.3 46,210 5.5 
			 2002/03 868,280 779,310 89.8 32,970 3,8 56,000 6.4 
			 2003/04 895,955 801,080 89.4 30,810 3.4 64,070 7.2 
			 2004/05 912,940 811,155 88.9 34,885 3.8 66,895 7.3 
			 2005/06 945,420 838,445 88.7 38,055 4.0 68,920 7.3 
			 2006/07 960,265 848,975 88.4 41,685 4.3 69,605 7.2 
			 (1) Excludes the Open University.  Notes: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at the 1 December to maintain a consistent time series across all years. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5 and percentages to the nearest 0.1 per cent.  Source: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	The figures indicate that international student numbers on first degrees at English higher education institutions have increased by nearly 62 per cent. since 1997. This is very much a success story as these students contribute to the cultural mix, the research capacity and the finances of our institutions. The growth of international student numbers has not been at the expense of home students as they are not in competition with each other for places and it can be seen that the number of home students has also increased by over 128,000 during this ten year period.

Higher Education: South Yorkshire

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many residents of  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster entered higher education in each of the last 10 years; and how many of those were (i) mature and (ii) part-time students in each such year.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the table. Comparable figures for the 2007-08 academic year will be available in January 2000.
	
		
			  Entrants( 1)  to undergraduate courses from Barnsley and Doncaster local authorities, UK higher education institutions, academic years 1997-98 to 2006-07 
			   Barnsley  Doncaster 
			of  a ll  e ntrants( 2)   of  a ll  e ntrants;( 2) 
			   All Entrants  Mature( 3)  Part-time  All Entrants  Mature( 3)  Part-time 
			 1997-98(4) 1,070 620 420 1,205 465 225 
			 1998-99 1,170 710 410 1,605 770 450 
			 1999-2000 1,150 645 455 1,530 700 480 
			 2000-01 1,285 730 545 1,515 715 495 
			 2001-02 1,220 650 435 1,640 730 530 
			 2002-03 1,315 795 565 1,770 900 695 
			 2003-04 1,225 795 575 1,565 890 680 
			 2004-05(5) 1,350 795 620 1,940 1,000 825 
			 2005-06 1,630 970 730 1,966 955 765 
			 2006-07 1,555 890 665 1,875 945 740 
			 (1) Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December to maintain a consistent time series across all years and are rounded to the nearest five. Figures include the Open university but exclude those on writing up, sabbatical or dormant mode of study.  (2) Breakdowns for mature and part-time students contain double counting (i.e. part-time students over 21 years of age will be included in both columns).  (3) Mature undergraduate students are aged 21 and over. Figures include a small number of students whose age was unknown.  (4). Figures for 1997-08 exclude the Open University because there are no figures available for entrants to undergraduate courses at the Open University by local authority for this year.  (5) Figures for the Open University for 2004-05 are known to undercount entrants to undergraduate courses in that year.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	Overall for all students from England, the UCAS figures show that, compared to 2006, applicants who had been accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses in 2007 rose by 6.1 per cent. to 307,000, the highest ever. Figures at local authority level show that, for Barnsley, the number of accepted applicants for 2007 entry rose by 9.1 per cent. and, for Doncaster, accepted applicants rose by 6.3 per cent. Latest figures for students applying for entry in 2008 show that applicants to full-time undergraduate courses from England are up by 7.1 per cent. compared to 2007.

Jodrell Bank: Finance

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will make a statement on  (a) funding of the e-Merlin project and  (b) the future of Jodrell Bank observatory.

Ian Pearson: Jodrell Bank, which is owned by the University of Manchester, is involved in a variety of radio astronomy activities, including the e-Merlin project. E-Merlin is the development of a network of seven UK radio telescopes run by the Jodrell Bank Observatory and funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) in partnership with the North West Development Agency and the University of Manchester. STFC provides the University of Manchester 2.4 million per annum for Merlin operations, and a further 874,000 for exploitation in 2007-08. STFC is currently considering future funding for e-Merlin as part of its Programmatic Review. STFC has yet to take a decision on its future level of support for e-Merlin. However, STFC has made it clear that the e-Merlin project is part of its strategy for radio astronomy and that it is in discussion with its partners about the issues raised by the review.

Jodrell Bank: Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department has allocated to Jodrell Bank in each of the last five years for which figures are available; how much he plans to allocate for the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 25 March 2008
	Jodrell Bank, which is owned by the University of Manchester, is involved in a variety of radio astronomy activities, including the e-Merlin project, funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). STFC is currently considering future funding for e-Merlin as a part of its Programmatic Review and has yet to take a decision on this. However, STFC has made it clear that the e-Merlin project is part of its strategy for radio astronomy and that it is in discussion with its partners about the issues raised by the review.
	STFC allocated the following funds to activities at Jodrell Bank in the past five years:
	
		
			   million 
			   Merlin/e-Merlin  Exploitation 
			 2003-04 2.147 0.670 
			 2004-05 2.337 0.822 
			 2005-06 2.383 0.779 
			 2006-07 2.502 0.795 
			 2007-08 2.441 0.874

JP Morgan

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors paid to JP Morgan in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each payment was.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created as a result of Machinery of Government changes in June 2007. DIUS has not made payment to JP Morgan in the 2007-08 financial year.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the value was of each contract awarded by his Department and its predecessors to Karian and Box since 1997.

David Lammy: Our financial records show that since its formation in June 2007, the Department has not made any payments to the company Karian and Box.

Mature Students

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assistance his Department makes available to enable mature students to attend universities.

Bill Rammell: Mature students are generally eligible for the same student support package as other students. For full-time students, fee loans of up to 3,070 (3,145 in 2008/09) ensure that no one has to pay their fees upfront. Students under the age of 60 are eligible for maintenance loans of up to 6,315 (6,475 in 2008/09)(1). Means-tested grants of up to 2,765 (2,835 in 2008/09) are available to new students. From 2008/09, we are increasing the income thresholds so that many more students will be eligible to receive a grant. At least one third of all students will receive a full grant; and two-thirds a partial grant. Students may also qualify for a bursary from their higher education institution.
	In addition, students with dependants can claim additional grants including: adult dependants grant worth up to 2,510 (2,575 in 2008/09); parents learning allowance worth up to 1,435 (1,470 in 2008/09); and child care grant worth up to 7,735 for one child and 13,260 for two or more children.
	Students may also apply for support from the Access to Learning Fund, a university-administered fund for students experiencing financial hardship. Student parents are eligible to receive child tax credit from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. Mature students who do not qualify for undergraduate student support may be eligible for a Career Development Loan which has an element of subsidy from public funds.
	Students over 25 years of age are treated as independent, and are assessed on their own income (and the income of their spouse or partner where applicable) and not on the income of their parents.
	Extra support for the disabled is available in the form of Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs). DSAs can help students in higher education with the additional costs they may incur on their course as a direct result of a disability.
	Part-time mature students receive the same support as other part-time students. A fee grant of up to 1,150 (1,180 in 2008/09) is available, depending on the intensity of the course, together with a course grant of up to 250 (255 in 2008/09). Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) are available to part-time HE students. The Access to Learning Fund (ALF) provides a child care grant which offers a contribution to child care costs for eligible part-time students. Students must have received confirmation that they are entitled to statutory support. During the time it takes to receive this confirmation institutions can, if they wish, provide help with child care from ALF to ensure that child care can be secured from the start of the course.
	(1) This is the maximum amount available to students studying in London. Students studying elsewhere can receive up to 4,510 (4,625 in 2008/09).

Measurements: EC Action

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what discussions he has had on recent European Commission statements on the legality of the use of imperial measures; and with whom.

Ian Pearson: The Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills has not held any such discussions.

Part Time Education: Finance

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of part-time further education students completed level 3 courses funded by their employer in each year since 2001.

Bill Rammell: Data on part-time further education students completing level 3 courses funded by their employer is not collected.

Pre-School Education: Training

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of those studying for the Early Years Foundation Degree at university were  (a) white and  (b) black and minority ethnic people in each year since 1997, broken down by sex.

Bill Rammell: No such data exists on the sex or the number and proportion of white and black and minority ethnic students studying for the Early Years Foundation Degree.

Pre-School Education: Training

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of  (a) male and  (b) female students studying for the Early Years Foundation Degree were from socio-economic backgrounds (i) 1 to 3 and (ii) 4 to 8 in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: No such data exists on the number and proportion of male and female students studying for the Early Years Foundation Degree.

Press

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the cost of the press offices of  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies was in each year since1996-97; what the cost was in each quarter since 1 April 2007; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) was created as a result of Machinery of Government changes in June 2007. As such, the cost of the press offices of the Department, its agencies and its non-departmental public bodies prior to these changes will be reported within the figures presented by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. To disaggregate these numbers to provide a separate return for DIUS would represent a disproportionate cost.
	The 2007-08 accounts for DIUS have not been audited and as such we are unable to provide information for the 2007-08 financial year.

Press

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many press office staff were employed by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) in each year since 1996-97 and (ii) at the latest date for which information is available.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was formed on 28 June 2007 as a result of the Machinery of Government changes. It currently employs 12 full-time press officers.
	For much of its business, the Department operates through a number of arms length bodies including 20 non-departmental public bodies and other agencies. It is the responsibility of each body to manage its staff structure and costs. Therefore the Department does not hold the information requested centrally and there would be a disproportionate cost to gather the information requested.

Publications: Obesity

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the cost was of printing and distributing the publication 'Tackling Obesities: Future Choices'; how many copies were printed; and to whom it was distributed.

Ian Pearson: The printing and distribution costs for the 'Tackling Obesities: Future Choices' report were about 17,000 and 10,000 respectively. 4,000 copies were printed, including a second edition.
	The report was circulated to key stakeholders including relevant Government Departments, academic institutions, non-governmental organisations, the press and those who attended the launch event in October 2007 and other dissemination events and activities. In addition, it was, and continues to be, sent in response to individual requests.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the value was of each contract awarded to Rackspace by  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies in each of the last nine years.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created as a result of Machinery of Government changes in June 2007. Neither DIUS, nor it's agencies, have any contracts with Rackspace.

Salisbury College: Standards

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will place in the Library a copy of the Ofsted report on the last inspection of Salisbury College.

Bill Rammell: As this is a matter for Ofsted, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 3 April 2008:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief inspector, for reply.
	Salisbury College was most recently inspected in November 2007 (having been found inadequate in its previous inspection in October 2006) and a copy of the inspection report is enclosed. This college merged with Wiltshire College as of 1 January 2008, and is now known as Wiltshire College Salisbury.
	Wiltshire College was last inspected in October 2007, and the inspection report is available on the Ofsted website http://www.ofsted.gov.uk under Inspection Reports, Further Education Colleges. The direct link is:
	http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/pdf/?inspectionNumber=317040providerCategoryID=524288fileName=\\school\\132\\c12_132779_20080304.pdf
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Science and Technology Facilities Council

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes from the Science and Technology Facilities Council's Science Board between April 2007 and February 2008 inclusive.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The minutes from the Science and Technology Facilities Council's Science Board between April 2007 and February 2008 inclusive have been published by STFC on its website:
	http://www.scitech.ac.uk/About/Strat/Council/AdCom/SciBrd/contents.aspx

Skilled Workers

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills with reference to the answer of 12 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1624W, to the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings, (Mr. Hayes) on skilled workers, what his most recent estimate is of the number of skill shortage vacancies in  (a) the construction sector and  (b) the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector.

David Lammy: The National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) 2005 for England has the most current publicly available data on skill shortages. The 2005 survey shows that 143,125 employers reported at least one skills shortage vacancy (SSV). Of these, construction accounted for 11,900 skill shortage vacancies. Forecast data by ConstructionSkills anticipates that to meet the demand for new workers, the construction industry in England will need to recruit 74,340 people per annum between 2008 to 2012. The NESS 2005 also shows that 12,900 vacancies in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism arise as a result of a skills shortage. People 1st research indicates that chef and managerial vacancies are hardest to fill. Updated data on skill shortage vacancies will be available when the NESS 2007 is published after the end of March.

Skilled Workers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent steps the Government has taken to include employers in the formulation of skills policy.

David Lammy: We are giving employers an unprecedented role in shaping the employment and skills system to ensure it delivers the skills and qualifications that they and the wider economy need.
	The new employer-led UK Commission for Employment and Skills became fully operational this month, and brings an unprecedented level of employer leadership and challenge at the heart of the system. It will provide vigorous and expert challenge to Government on its employment and skills strategy, targets and policies.
	The network of Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) also has a vital role to play in the development and implementation of skills policy. The UK Commission will lead the reform and re-licensing of SSCs, with a new focused remit to work with employers to articulate the future skills needs of their sector, ensure that the supply of skills and qualifications is driven by their needs; and to raise employer ambition and investment in skills.
	DIUS ministers and officials maintain a regular dialogue with employer representative bodies, including the Confederation of British Industry, Federation of Small Business, British Chambers of Commerce and the Engineering Employers' Federation, for example.

Specialist Schools: Capital Investment

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what capital spending is planned for  (a) James Brindley,  (b) Haywood,  (c) Brownhills and  (d) St. Margaret Ward specialist colleges in each of the next three years.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	All schools receive devolved formula capital allocations for their immediate investment needs. In each year 2008-09 to 2010-11 this will be calculated on the basis of 18,500 plus 94.50 per secondary school pupil, if the school is unmodernised. Modernised schools will receive half that amount. Resources are also allocated at local authority level, for authorities to invest in accordance with local investment priorities. In the case of these four schools, they will form part of Stoke's Building Schools for the Future project. Construction is expected to begin for these schools in the latter half of the three year period, but there are no firm timescales at this stage.

Student Wastage

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of students left university in their first year in the 2006-07 academic year; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for them leaving.

Bill Rammell: The latest figures available on non-continuation of higher education students are for the 2004/05 academic year. The latest available information is shown in table 1 and is broken down by young (under 21) and mature (21 and over) students and first degree and other undergraduate entrants.
	
		
			  Table 1: Percentage of UK domiciled full-time first degree and other undergraduate entrants not continuing in higher education after their first year, English higher education institutions, academic year 2004/05 
			  Age  First degree  Other UG 
			 Young (under 21) 6.8 16.6 
			 Mature (21 and over) 14.0 14.8 
			  Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA. 
		
	
	Figures for the 2005/06 academic year will be available later this year and those for the 2006/07 academic year, in 2009. The Higher Education Statistics Agency do not publish figures on the percentage of part-time students not continuing in higher education after their first year.
	According to the figures published by the OECD, the overall completion rate for type A (first degree equivalent) courses in UK universities and colleges of higher education is among the highest in the OECD countries (the UK ranks fifth out of 23 countries who report data in this area).
	The percentage of students in England not completing their course has fallen to its lowest since the non-completion performance indicator was introduced, which already starts from a baseline which is low by international standards.
	The latest available information for reasons for leaving higher education courses is shown in table 2. This is broken down by first degree and other undergraduate entrants.
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of UK domiciled first degree and other undergraduate entrants( 1)  who left their course, English higher education institutions, academic year 2006/07 
			  Reason for leaving  First degree  Other UG 
			 Successful completion of course 7,925 48,955 
			 Transferred to another institution 1,830 490 
			 Academic failure/left in bad standing/not permitted to progress 4,995 3,780 
			 Health reasons 625 445 
			 Death 70 50 
			 Financial reasons 610 255 
			 Other personal reasons and dropped out 7,700 5,260 
			 Written off after lapse of time 1,315 1,170 
			 Exclusion 650 345 
			 Gone into employment 690 375 
			 Other 3,840 2,325 
			 Completion of course, result unknown 105 1,940 
			 Unknown 990 935 
			 Total who left course early not having transferred 21,595 16,885 
			 Total who left in academic year 31,350 66,330 
			 (1) Covers both full-time and part-time students.  Note: Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis and have been rounded to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	The reason for leaving information on the HESA student record should be treated with some caution, because the 'other personal reasons and dropped out' and 'other' fields are used extensively, Institutions are not always able to record the precise reason for leaving. Furthermore, HESA allows only one reason for withdrawal to be recorded, however it is likely that many students leave for a combination of reasons.

Student Wastage

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what information his Department holds on the  (a) gender,  (b) socio-economic background and  (c) ethnicity of students who fail to complete their first degree; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The available information on the proportion of UK-domiciled starters to full-time first degree courses who are projected to neither obtain an award nor transfer to another institution is shown in table 1. It is not possible to break these figures down by gender, socio-economic background or ethnicity. Comparable figures for the 2005/06 academic year will become available in June this year. Information on the actual number of students who are projected to neither obtain an award nor transfer to another institution has not been published.
	
		
			  Table 1: Proportion of full-time first degree starters at English and UK higher education institutions, who were projected to neither gain an award nor transfer to another institutionacademic years 1997/98 to 2004/05 
			  Percentage 
			  Academic year  1997/98  1998/99  1999/2000  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05 
			 England 15.8 15.9 15.8 15.0 13.8 13.9 14.4 13.8 
			 UK 15.7 15.8 15.8 15.0 14.1 14.4 14.9 14.2 
			  Notes: 1. The projected outcomes for a cohort are based on the assumption that their patterns of progression will follow those of students currently in the system. A student is assumed to have left with no award if they have been inactive for two years. 2. Figures from the 1996/97 academic year have been excluded due to a change in methodology between 1996/97 and 1997/98. 3. Figures for years earlier than 1996/97 are not available.  Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	HESA also publishes non-continuation indicators, which show the proportion of entrants to full-time first degree courses not continuing in higher education after their first year. It is possible to break these down by gender, ethnicity and National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC), and this information is shown in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2: Proportion of UK-domiciled young( 1)  entrants to full-time first degree courses at UK higher education institutions not continuing in higher education after their first year by gender, ethnicity and NS-SECacademic years 2002/03 to 2004/05 
			  Percentage 
			  Background   2002/03  2003/04  2004/05 
			 Gender Female 6.8 6.7 6.5 
			  Male 8.9 8.8 8.0 
			  
			 Ethnicity White 7.6 7.5 7.1 
			  Non-White 7.4 7.1 6.6 
			  Unknown 14.4 13.9 13.3 
			  
			 NS-SEC Groups 1-3 6.3 6.0 5.6 
			  Groups 4-7 8.1 8.2 7.6 
			  Unknown 10.6 12.5 11.8 
			 All backgrounds  7.8 7.7 7.2 
			 (1) Young refers to entrants who are under 21 years of age.  Notes: 1. Non-continuation rates provide the percentage of students who enter a higher education institution in one academic year, who are no longer in a HEI in the following academic year and have not qualified. 2. Figures for years earlier than 2002/03 are not currently available.  Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). 
		
	
	Student retention rates in this country compare very well internationally. The UK ranks fifth in the OECD for first degree completion rates, out of 23 countries who report data in this area. A university education is now open to more students than ever before and the Government are totally committed to providing opportunities for all people to achieve their potential and to maximise their talent.

Students: Fees and Charges

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps the Government plans to take to prevent students from being banned from university campuses due to late payment of fees.

Bill Rammell: All eligible students starting their higher education course in the academic year 2006/07 can take out a non means-tested loan for tuition fees: they do not have to pay the fees themselves at the start of the academic year. The fee loan is up to 3,070 in 2007/08 (3,145 in 2008/09, The Student Loans Company pay the tuition fee direct to higher education institutions; the loan is repaid after graduation on the same terms as loans for maintenance. The policy on payments and attendance is a matter for each higher education institution.
	We re-introduced a means-tested higher education maintenance grant for students who started their course in 2006/07, Up to 2,765 is available in 2007/08 (2,835 in 2008/09). From 2008/09 the minimum threshold (of family income) for a full maintenance grant will be increased from 17,500 a year to 25,000 a year; with a partial grant available up to an income threshold of 60,000, It is expected that up to around two thirds of air students will receive a full-or partial-grant
	For full-time students, maintenance loans are also availablefor example up to 6,315 in 2007/08 (6,475 in 2008/09) for students in London living away from home. Most universities offer institutional bursaries above the mandatory minimum level of 305 in 2007/08 (310 in 2008/09).
	In addition, full-time students with dependants can claim supplementary grants including adult dependants grant; Parents learning allowance and childcare grant. Both full and part-time students can claim disabled students allowances to support the course related costs of disabled students.
	For part-time students, in 2007/08 a fee grant of up to 1,150 (1,180 in 2008/09) is available (depending on how intensive the course is), together with a course grant of up to 250 (255 in 2008/09).

Students: Finance

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that funds allocated by universities for student bursaries are fully spent.

Bill Rammell: The director for fair access is responsible for ensuring that universities have satisfactory access agreements in place as a pre-condition of charging variable fees and for ensuring that institutions comply with these obligations. A range of sanctions is available to the director if a university is found to be in breach. In 2006-07, the director has reported that all universities have complied with the obligations in their access agreements.
	The question rests on a misunderstanding of how bursaries work. Institutions do not allocate a fixed amount of expenditure for bursaries. They have made forecasts of the costs of their bursaries packages, but these have always contained a level of uncertainty for methodological reasons. Additionally, a number of universities forecast their highest level of overall payment rather than the most probable outcome.
	I have always made it clear that where a university is spending less than it had anticipated on bursaries, it would be right to spend on other activities to encourage widening participation, which will not normally be reported under the access agreement. The Russell Group and the 1994 Group of universities and individual institutions have supported this policy.

Students: Finance

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when the sector assessment of the impact of the new funding criteria for equivalent or lower qualification students will be published.

Bill Rammell: We will respond substantively to this point when we publish our response to the Innovation, Universities and Skills Select Committee's recent report. But any full analysis has to look not just at the characteristics of existing students but also at the millions of potential students without a first higher education qualification who will have more opportunities in future as a result of our policy.

Students: Loans

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the revenue which would be received by the Exchequer from increasing the interest rates charged on student loans by  (a) 0.1 per cent. and  (b) 1 per cent. in 2008-09.

Bill Rammell: The principle behind student loans is that borrowers repay broadly the same amount, in real terms, as they have borrowed. The interest rate on student loan balances is therefore fixed at the rate of inflation.
	Increasing the interest rate on student loan balances by 0.1 or 1 per cent. above inflation would provide no immediate additional revenue to the Exchequer. Repayments are based on earnings and not the amount borrowed, so increasing the interest rate charged to borrowers would not impact on receipts in 2008-09, although it would impact on receipts in the future.
	Under resource accounting, the Government accounts for the full lifetime cost of making a student loan in the year that loan is made. Any change in the way the interest rate was calculated would increase or decrease those costs.

Students: Loans

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much student grant his Department expects undergraduates from each parental income decile to receive under the first year of operation of the new system announced by the Secretary of State in July 2007.

Bill Rammell: The July 2007 announcement increases the means-testing threshold below which students are entitled to a full maintenance grant up from 17,910 for entrants in 2007/08 to 25,000 for entrants in 2008/09. The threshold for a partial grant will increase from 38,330 for entrants in 2007/08 to 60,005 for entrants in 2008/09. These thresholds relate to household income.
	This will mean that one third of all eligible students in England entering higher education in the academic year 2008/09 are expected to be entitled to a full non-repayable grant worth 2,835 and another one third are expected to be entitled to a partial grant of between 50 and 2,835. Until students apply for support for 2008/09, we do not know the amount of grant per income decile as we do not know exactly where the decile bands will fall on the income scale. Further information on the amount of grant available to students in 2008/09, by household income, is set out in a memorandum entitled Support Available Under the Student Support Regulations, a copy of which can be found in the House Library.
	Due to these reforms, by 2011, the number of students receiving some level of grant will increase by around 100,000. As part of this change, an extra 50,000 students will receive a full grant.

Students: Loans

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the  (a) total and  (b) per capita student loan take-up was classified by parental (i) income decile and (ii) socio-economic group in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: 75 per cent. of the maximum loan amount available is not means tested, so borrowers choosing to apply only for this part do not provide income details. This will include borrowers who know their household income is too high to be eligible for the means-tested element, those who do not wish to provide income details, and those choosing to take a smaller loan. Data are therefore not available to classify borrowers by income or socio-economic group.
	From 2006-07 students from lower income households have had part of their maintenance support met through a non-repayable maintenance grant, and their entitlement to maintenance loan is therefore reduced to reflect this. Loan entitlement is reduced by 1 for every 1 of maintenance grant entitlement up to 1,200 in 2006-07 (1,230 in 2007-08).
	Available data are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Maintenance loans taken out by English domiciled students, sum borrowed and average loan, academic years 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			  Academic year  Number of loans taken ou t  (thousand)  Sum borrowed  ( million)  Average value of loan  () 
			 2002-03 666 2,161 3,250 
			 2003-04 682 2,258 3,310 
			 2004-05 693 2,349 3,390 
			 2005-06 719 2,496 3,470 
			 2006-07(1) 727 2,608 3,590 
			 (1) Provisional data.  Source: Student Loans Company

Students: Loans

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the net value of the student loan book is.

Bill Rammell: The balance of publicly-owned student loans on 31 March 2007 was 18.1 billion, including loans not yet due for repayment. This figure relates to English domiciled students and graduates who studied in the UK, and EU students and graduates who studied in England.

Students: Public Participation

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills who the members of the National Student Forum are; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The National Student Forum (NSF) has been established, as part of our Student Listening Programme, to help amplify the voice of higher education students in Government. It held its first meeting on 28 February 2008. The Forum has an independent chair, Maeve Sherlock.
	The confirmed members of the Forum are as follows:
	1. Lisa Carson
	2. Matthew Gayle
	3. Phoebe Hoi Ki Lau
	4. Tshering Lama
	5. Ismail Malik
	6. Akanimo Odon
	7. Steve Rigby
	8. Rosemary Rimmer-Clay
	9. Samina Sabir
	10. Christopher Sadler
	11. Armineh Soorenian
	12. Wes Streeting
	13. Serena Trowbridge
	14. Gemma Tumelty
	15. Kate Wicklow
	Work is in hand to confirm appointments for the two outstanding vacancies.
	The Forum members represent the broad diversity of students in higher education, including both full-time and part-time students, postgraduates and undergraduates, students with disabilities and international students.
	The National Student Forum is an important and innovative development which will help to ensure that the views of students are taken into account in our policy development and implementation.

Training: Apprentices

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he is taking to increase the involvement of Government Departments and agencies in the provision of apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The Government skills strategy announced on 1 April and agreed by Government Departments and the armed forces aims to raise professional standards and strengthen skills over a three-year period to meet the needs of the sector. This strategy includes a programme to create 500 new apprenticeships in Government Departments. This builds on the good work already done on apprenticeships by some Government Departments such as Department for Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Defence and Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).

Universities: Business

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when the Government expect that every university will be twinned with a business champion.

Bill Rammell: Business engagement in different forms is increasingly a mainstream activity for every university. Over 90 per cent. provide an inquiry point for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and over 80 per cent. provide short bespoke courses on company premises. It is for individual higher education institutions (HEIs) to decide the nature of their engagement with business, including whether to twin with a business champion.
	However, the demands imposed by global competition mean that Government have a key role to play in creating the conditions within which individual HEIs develop a range of mutually beneficial collaborations with appropriate businesses and employer partners. For example, we have provided the funding to enable the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to deliver its 'Transforming Workforce Development' programme of activities, which is set to enable a wide range of HEIs to work more closely with businesses in supporting work force development. This will allow growth in a new form of higher education, co-funded by employers, that will deliver higher level skills provision that meets business needs.

Vocational Education: USA

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage recognition in the United States of vocational qualifications awarded in the UK.

David Lammy: The Government are keen to encourage recognition of UK qualifications overseas in order to help our citizens to study or work abroad. National Academic Recognition and Information Centres (NARICs), as do European Network of Information Centres (ENICs), exist to provide information and advice about vocational, academic and professional skills and qualifications from all over the world, and the NARIC/ENIC international network provides similar advice to UK citizens seeking to study or work abroad. In recent years the UK NARIC has worked with the US ENIC on the broad principles relating to recognition practices for vocational and professional qualifications below degree.

Vocational Training: Construction

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the training of youth construction workers offered by the Olympic Delivery Authority with the policies of World-Class Apprenticeships: Unlocking Talent, Building Skills for All.

David Lammy: Our underlying commitments in world-class apprenticeships are to ensure a significant increase in the number and quality of apprenticeships. World-Class Apprenticeships emphasises our commitment to encourage companies contracted to the Government for projects such as the Olympics, to employ apprentices. My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Olympics and London has already responded to the hon. Member's previous question about the Olympic Delivery Authority's plans including their expectations for the provision of apprenticeships.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created as a result of Machinery of Government changes in June 2007. DIUS has not made payment to Zurich Financial Services in the 2007-08 financial year.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Helicopters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military helicopters were deployed in Afghanistan in  (a) May 2005 and  (b) April 2008.

Des Browne: I am withholding detailed information on the number of military helicopters in Afghanistan, as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Afghanistan: Helicopters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serviceable UK military helicopters there are in  (a) Helmand province,  (b) Kandahar and  (c) Afghanistan, broken down by type.

Des Browne: The UK has deployed: Chinook CH-47; Sea King; Apache AH-64; and Lynx light-utility helicopters to Afghanistan. I am withholding further information on the number, location and availability of military helicopters in Afghanistan, as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British servicemen and women experienced heat exhaustion in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq in each year since 2006.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence records instances of heat illness, as part of its monitoring of climatic injury. Heat illness has traditionally been divided into heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but in practice it is difficult to define the division between the two. Heat illness is therefore used to cover a continuum of illness ranging from mild symptoms such as muscular weakness, headache and excess fatigue to collapse, coma and death.
	In Iraq in 2006, 71 service personnel were recorded with a climatic illness, of whom 21 were bedded down in a medical facility as a result. In 2007, 90 service personnel were recorded with a climatic illness of whom nine were bedded down. In Iraq, the temperature and humidity can change very quickly, increasing the likelihood of sudden instances of heat illness.
	In Afghanistan, between August 2006 (when data collection started) and the end of 2007, 91 personnel were recorded with a climatic injury of whom 32 were bedded down.
	These figures provide an indication of instances of heat illness. It is likely that there have been other cases of heat injury which could not be identified from the available records as they may have been recorded under a variety of symptoms (e.g. dehydration, headache etc.) common to other illnesses.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2008,  Official Report, column 812W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, how many times  (a) fixed wing and  (b) rotary wing aircraft from the Mesopotamia Group have supported British troops in Helmand Province since the start of the contract.

Des Browne: From the start of the ISAF Contracted Air Transport (ICAT) contract until 1 March 2008, the latest date for which data are available, only helicopters have been used, undertaking a total of 23 sorties. This has included making 30 visits to Forward Operating Bases in support of UK forces.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2008,  Official Report, column 812W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, what the start date of the contract was; and how long the contract is for.

Des Browne: The start date of the ISAF Contracted Air Transport (ICAT) contract was 1 February 2008. This is a 12-month contract, with an option to extend for a further 12 months.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) are in Afghanistan; how many countries are providing troops for OMLTS; and what percentage of OMLTs are led by British forces.

Des Browne: There are currently 39 Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams (OMLTs), which mentor Afghan National Army personnel, either on the ground in Afghanistan or whose deployment has been confirmed. Troops for OMLTs are contributed by 15 countries. The United States also provides Embedded Training Teams which fulfil a similar role. 18 per cent. of the operational or confirmed OMLTs are led by British forces.

Air Force: Training

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hours of training were required for those flying  (a) fast jets,  (b) transport aircraft and  (c) helicopters in the RAF in each year since 2003.

Bob Ainsworth: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Aircraft Carriers: Design

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specifications are included in the design of British aircraft carriers to enable them to absorb battle damage shock in the  (a) superstructure,  (b) flight deck and  (c) main hull; what such design specifications have been agreed for the two future aircraft carriers; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Battle damage survivability considerations and shock resilience have been taken into account in the design of aircraft carriers currently in-service and in the agreed design specifications for the two future aircraft carriers. I am, however, withholding detailed design information as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our armed forces.

Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any Minister has made an authorisation under section 48 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

Des Browne: In 2001 the then Secretary of State for Defence signed two authorisations under Section 48 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. I am withholding further information as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice national security and international relations.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the (a) Army, (b) Navy and (c) Royal Air Force exceeded the guidelines for individual separated service in the latest period for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: The latest figures as at 31 December 2007 (Q3 07/08) show that:
	Less than 1 per cent of RN/RM personnel were in breach of the single service guidelines.
	10.3 per cent of the Army were in breach of separated service guidelines.
	This is a year on year improvement from 14.5 per cent in 2006-07 and 13.4 per cent in 2006-07). The Army continues to monitor separated service with due diligence utilising directed recruitment and retention initiatives targeted at pinch point trades in particular.
	10 per cent of RAF personnel breached the single Service guideline. This is an increase of 3.3 per cent on the previous quarter due to changes in the base reporting requirements, which has brought the RAF into line with the RN and Army reporting.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average length of non-combat deployment for servicemen and women stationed within the UK is, not including short-term training exercises, that does not require relocation.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel were deployed on operations, broken down by location of deployment, at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Des Browne: The following table provides the number of UK service personnel deployed on operations by location as at 31 March 2008. The number of personnel in theatre will naturally fluctuate on a daily basis for a variety of reasons, including leave (rest and recuperation), temporary absence for training, evacuation for medical reasons, the roulement of forces and other factors.
	
		
			  Number of personnel deployed by location( 1) 
			  Location  Number 
			  O f which:  
			 Afghanistan(2) 8,600 
			 Iraq 3,900 
			 At sea 700 
			 Qatar 400 
			 Cyprus 280 
			 Kuwait 260 
			 Oman 190 
			 Kosovo 130 
			 Bahrain 70 
			 Bosnia 10 
			 Other 20 
			 Total 14,590 
			 1. Countries with 10 or more personnel are shown separately. Other countries with fewer than 10 personnel per country include Georgia, Nepal, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia. 2. Figures for Afghanistan are artificially high due to a current 'relief in place' roulement of forces in operation.  Note: Numbers for each location are rounded to the nearest 10, except for Iraq and Afghanistan which have been rounded to the nearest 100.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to provide a new swimming pool at Defence Medical Service Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 5 February 2008
	The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court has a hydrotherapy pool on site which is in regular use. The centre has also for many years used a local authority swimming pool for water-based therapy, as part of its comprehensive rehabilitation programme.
	A new charity, Help for Heroes, has offered to raise funds to build a swimming pool at Headley Court, as part of a new rehabilitation complex on the site. We warmly welcome this very generous offer, in addition to the money we plan to spend to enhance the unit's existing facilities. We shall work closely with the charity as its proposals are developed. Headley Court is owned by a Charitable Trust and charitable funding has contributed to the enhancement of the facilities at Headley Court since the site was first used for the rehabilitation of military personnel in 1946.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was paid out by his Department for medical negligence claims made by  (a) service personnel and  (b) service dependants relating to their treatment in (i) service facilities, (ii) civilian medical facilities abroad and (iii) civilian medical facilities in the UK in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The amount of compensation, including legal costs, paid out each year for clinical negligence claims to service personnel and civilian personnel, which includes service dependants, since 1997-98 is set out in the following table. Claims are not recorded in a format that differentiates between medical facilities in the UK and overseas nor between service and civilian facilities.
	
		
			   million 
			   Service personnel claims  Civilian claims  Total 
			 1997-98 0.4 3.1 3.5 
			 1998-99 2.3 7.5 9.8 
			 1999-2000 2.5 7.2 9.7 
			 2000-01 6.1 4.5 10.6 
			 2001-02 0.8 8.2 9.0 
			 2002-03 3.9 5.1 9.0 
			 2003-04 2.6 3.4 6.0 
			 2004-05 3.3 2.7 6.0 
			 2005-06 3.8 0.7 4.5 
			 2006-07 1.5 1.5 3.0

Armed Forces: Housing

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2008,  Official Report, column 288W, on armed forces: housing, what was being repaired in the case of the call-out which took 324 days to resolve; and what the reasons were for the time taken to resolve the case.

Derek Twigg: At the time the data was taken MHS data collection processes and housekeeping procedures were still being developed. While works had been completed in a timely fashion, many orders had not been closed on the system. It is believed that the repair was completed in less than 324 days, but was recorded retrospectively on our repair reporting system. The system has since been updated to ensure that similar anomalies do not occur in the future. The change in process has, however, meant that it is not now possible to retrieve details of this repair.

Armed Forces: Housing

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service family accommodation units that are both earmarked for disposal or demolition and no longer in use as family accommodation are within a perimeter security fence; and how much rent his Department paid in respect of such units in the last financial year.

Derek Twigg: There are currently 112 service family accommodation (SFA) properties in England and Wales which are located within a perimeter fence and are earmarked for disposal, the vast majority of which are currently void. These are owned by Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL). No properties within a perimeter fence are earmarked for demolition.
	The MOD pays 42 per cent. of the market rent on each of these properties. However, as the number of void properties across the estate changes constantly, it is not possible to identify an exact sum for rent paid on AHL void properties over the last financial year. The average rent paid to AHL across all properties has recently been recalculated at 3,650 per property per annum.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the proceeds from the sale of his Department's former housing and other land, subsequently sold by Annington estates, was passed to the Government in each year since such sales have taken place; and what this represented as a percentage of the sale price in each year.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 514W.
	The current percentage received is 19 per cent. Up to 2012 the percentage reduces year by year on a sliding scale from the date of the sale of the service family accommodation estate in England and Wales to Annington Homes Ltd.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department paid Annington estates in  (a) rent and  (b) costs of maintenance of residential dwellings in each year since the company acquired his former Department's properties.

Derek Twigg: The rental figures paid to Annington Homes Ltd for all properties are as follows (by calendar year):
	
		
			   
			 1996 44,545,831.10 
			 1997 109,588,221.71 
			 1998 104,279,336.72 
			 1999 104,582,001.10 
			 2000 111,038,380.36 
			 2001 115,412,276.57 
			 2002 122,333,291.55 
			 2003 130,758,425.28 
			 2004 130,906,106.14 
			 2005 136,444,876.74 
			 2006 142,412,664.41 
			 2007 147,284,003.45 
			 2008 (1)37,885,404.64 
			 (1) To March 2008 
		
	
	No payments were made to Annington Homes for costs of maintenance of properties that are underleased for Service occupation.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the Government receive from Annington estates or Annington Homes Ltd a percentage of the profit which the company makes on the subsequent disposal of former Ministry of Defence  (a) housing and  (b) land.

Derek Twigg: The 1996 Sale Agreement with Annington Homes Ltd includes a Profit Share Agreement. Under this, the Exchequer receives a percentage of any profit made on the subsequent disposal of properties and land that form part of a release to the company. To date the Exchequer has received some 140 million under this arrangement.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department paid for improvements and modernisation of residential dwellings owned by Annington Homes Ltd in Colchester constituency which have subsequently been handed back to Annington Homes Ltd in each year since the company acquired the properties.

Derek Twigg: Our records show no service family accommodation in Colchester that has been handed back to Annington Homes Ltd after having improvement or modernisation work carried out.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department paid for improvements and modernisation of residential dwellings owned by Annington Homes Ltd in Colchester constituency in each year since the company acquired the properties.

Derek Twigg: The Department retains responsibility for the maintenance and upgrade of service family accommodation (SFA) owned by Annington Homes Ltd.
	The amount spent on improvements and modernisation of SFA in the Colchester constituency each year since 1996 is as follows:
	
		
			   Total ( million) 
			 1997-98 0.5 
			 1998-99 1.5 
			 1999-2000 1.3 
			 2000-01 1.8 
			 2001-02 1.9 
			 2002-03 1.2 
			 2003-04 1.1 
			 2004-05 1.6 
			 2005-06 0.7 
			 2006-07 0.5 
			 2007-08 0.65

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former residential properties of his Department were handed back for sale in each year since acquisition by Annington estates.

Derek Twigg: Since the 1996 sale of service family accommodation to Annington Homes Ltd, the following numbers have been returned in each year:
	
		
			   Number 
			 1996 0 
			 1997 8 
			 1998 1,366 
			 1999 1,188 
			 2000 2,679 
			 2001 2,640 
			 2002 2,195 
			 2003 1,513 
			 2004 624 
			 2005 591 
			 2006 420 
			 2007 187

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the former Ministry of Defence dwellings in Colchester constituency which have been returned to Annington Homes have subsequently been demolished.

Derek Twigg: This is a matter for Annington Homes Ltd. Once surplus properties are returned to the company and the Department no longer has responsibility for them we do not need to record such information.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2008,  Official Report, column 514W, on Colchester, how many of his Department's former residential properties in Colchester constituency were returned to Annington Homes Ltd in  (a) 2006 and  (b) 2007; and how many it is proposed to return in 2008.

Derek Twigg: No service family accommodation in Colchester was returned to Annington Homes Ltd in financial years 2006-07 or 2007-08. However, we plan to return around 100 properties in 2008-09.

Armed Forces: Income Support

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many servicemen and women are in receipt of income support; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is not available.

Armed Forces: Influenza

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total medical stock requirement is of the armed forces in the event of an influenza pandemic, broken down by type of medical stock; whether all such estimated medical stock requirements are now held in medical units, as stated in paragraph 16 of the Health Protection Agency and Defence Medical Service's Pandemic Influenza: Infection Control guidance for military settingsguidance for military healthcare staff and their commanders, published October 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The circumstances of a pandemic, coupled with MOD operations, will dictate the actual medical requirements. However, the following table illustrates the quantities of infection control consumables that have been distributed to MOD Medical Centres, based on each Centre's assessment of its individual requirement in accordance with the Health Protection Agency/Defence Medical Service's guidance. Items will be used, and stocks replenished, as required during day-to-day business.
	
		
			  Category  Number (total) 
			 Aprons 160,700 
			 Respirator and Masks 278,000 
			 Medical Disposal 1,200 
			 Cannula 12,800 
			 Catheter 1,400 
			 Gloves 152,100 
			 Needles 19,000 
			 Syringes 6,900 
			 Hand Hygiene 13,500 
			 Bed Linen 300 
			  Note: Items have been summarised under MOD's main stock categories, and the numbers rounded to the nearest 100.

Armed Forces: Insurance

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of insurance protection for injury or death may be obtained by  (a) Territorial Army and  (b) regular Army personnel on operational deployment; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Life insurance is optional and is for those requiring additional cover above that provided by the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Pension and Compensation Schemes. MOD facilitates voluntary insurance arrangements through commercial providers for personnel requiring cover.
	The cover provided by the PAX (for regular) and RPAX schemes (for reserve personnel including the TA) is virtually the same. Both primarily provide personal accident cover, but also include cover for injury and death resulting from war and terrorism, and (at an extra premium) death from natural causes. Both provide personal accident cover for bodily injury that causes permanent disability and also for certain fractures, burns and hospitalisation. The maximum cover for death is 150,000. The maximum catastrophic disability cover is 750,000 for quadriplegia and 400,000 for paraplegia, with up to 300,000 for other disabilities. From 1 March 2008 PAX increased its premiums, enhanced its cover for burns and added cover for flesh wounds; these changes will be replicated for RPAX in the near future.
	Service Life Insurance (SLI) provides life cover and was launched by MOD on 8 May 2007. SLI guarantees Regular and Reservists (including the TA) worldwide war and terrorism cover, at competitive premiums, throughout their service and beyond. It provides this by means of a unique partnering arrangement with the commercial providers of the scheme, Sterling Life. The maximum life cover available is 200,000.
	MOD's Service Risks Insurance Premium Refunds (SRIPs) scheme contributes towards the inflated life insurance premiums which some insurers charge personnel (both regulars and reservists) in certain high risk trades and those serving on operations. The compensation available is 90 per cent. of the extra premium up to a total sum assured. The latter is increased every year in line with service pay and is currently 162,000.
	Individuals requiring insurance cover can join any insurance scheme they choose and are not obliged to join PAX, RPAX or SLI.

Armed Forces: Leave

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers did not take their full entitlement to annual leave in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held in the format requested, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Leave

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers carried over leave to the next leave year in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held in the format requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Manpower

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many units in each branch of the armed forces do not have an assigned unit welfare officer;
	(2)  what the average number of individuals including servicemen and women's family members assigned to each unit welfare officer is.

Derek Twigg: The welfare and community support of service personnel and their families is given a high priority by the MOD business. It covers a wide remit and is provided by the chain of command as well as by dedicated welfare providers. All units within the three services have dedicated personnel with direct responsibility for the welfare of its service personnel and their families.

Armed Forces: Pay

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) soldiers,  (b) sailors and  (c) airmen were paid late in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: Information on the number of soldiers, sailors and airmen paid late is shown in the following table and is only available by financial year from 2001-02.
	
		
			  Financial year  Naval service  Army  Royal Air Force 
			 2001-02 0 0 0 
			 2002-03 0 0 29 
			 2004-05 0 0 26 
			 2005-06 371 103 0 
			 2006-07 0 0 773 
			 2007-08 0 0 0 
			  Notes: 1. Soldiers, sailors and airmen have been interpreted as all Royal Navy (with Royal Marines), Army and Royal Air Force personnel. 2. The definition of a late payment is when no money is paid into an individual's account on the designated day for that month. 3. The transition to the new Joint Personnel Administration system had an impact on the achievement of timeliness during FY 2005-06 and FY 2006-07.

Armed Forces: Pay

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces veterans had their terminal benefits paid late in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: Information on the number of armed forces veterans who had their terminal benefits paid late is only available by financial year from 2001-02.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number 
			 2001-02 1 
			 2002-03 1 
			 2003-04 0 
			 2004-05 3 
			 2005-06 3 
			 2006-07 1,707 
			 2007-08 645 
		
	
	For the purposes of the answer late is defined as not meeting the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) internal target for the payment of terminal benefits (i.e. to authorise payment within five working days of receipt of all relevant documents or from the discharge date, whichever is the later).
	In order to reduce late payment and to meet the target turn around time a dedicated service leavers team has been created and personnel have undergone additional training which is having a positive impact.

Armed Forces: Prison Accommodation

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the cost of the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester was in the latest 12 month period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the cost per annum was to maintain a detainee at the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  how much was spent on  (a) training,  (b) rehabilitation and  (c) education for inmates at the Military Correction Training Centre at Colchester's budget in 2005-06.

Bob Ainsworth: I will write to the right hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Prison Accommodation

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the salary scales are for members of the armed forces employed at the Military Correction Training Centre, Colchester.

Bob Ainsworth: Pay rates for UK Service personnel are recommended annually by the independent armed forces' pay review body (AFPRB). The AFPRB bases its recommendations on broad compatibility with the pay of civilian occupations of similar job weight and responsibility within the UK. The 2008 report of the AFPRB was published on 7 February, and copies are available in the Library of the House.
	Pay scales for members of the armed forces employed at the Military Correction Training Centre, Colchester, are the same as those for individuals serving elsewhere. The scales for the ranks employed at MCTC are as follows:
	
		
			  Service/Rank  Pay scale () 
			  Army  
			 Lieutenant Colonel 63,927 to 74,023 
			 Major 45,549 to 54,551 
			 Captain 36,160 to 43,002 
			 Warrant Officer Class 1 36,812 to 44,588 
			 Warrant Officer Class 2 31,684 to 41,249 
			 Staff Sergeant 31,684 to 41,249 
			 Sergeant 28,623 to 35,219 
			 Corporal 25,182 to 31,646 
			  RAF  
			 Flight Lieutenant 36,160 to 43,002 
			 Sergeant 28,623 to 35,219 
			 Corporal 25,182 to 31,646 
			   
			  Royal Navy/Royal Marines  
			 Lieutenant 36,160 to 43,002 
			 Petty Officer 28,623 to 35,219 
			 Sergeant (RM) 28,623 to 35,219 
			 Able Rating First Class 16,227 to 27,599

Armed Forces: Publications

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the joint service publications  (a) JSP 350,  (b) JSP 362,  (c) JSP 368 and  (d) JSP 381.

Derek Twigg: Copies of these publications have been placed in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Training

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of training new recruits to the armed forces to meet the rate of resignations as a percentage of each force's total salary bill; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The services set Gains to Trained Strength (GTS) targets for five years in advance, based on forecast strength requirements. These are then translated into annual recruiting targets taking into account phase 1 and phase 2 training wastage rates (both current and predicted), the previous year's GTS achievement, and any planned changes to training and their expected affects (for example, higher or lower wastage rates).
	The annual cost of training (phase 1 plus phase 2 training) new recruits to the armed forces is some 1,061 million.
	The armed forces total salary bill for financial year 2006-07 was 8,422million.

Armed Forces: Training

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of armed forces training exercises were cancelled in 2007-08.

Bob Ainsworth: During the period 2007-08,76 (10.5 per cent.) of the 722 training exercises scheduled in the Defence Exercise Programme were cancelled.

Armed Forces: Training

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of likely savings as a result of the Defence training review over the next 25 years.

Bob Ainsworth: The broad projection of the through-life (30 years) savings of the DTR Package 1 project is approximately 400 million, although this continues to be subject to development of the Metrix solution. As previously announced, the way ahead for Package 2 is the subject of further work and therefore no specific estimate of the likely savings can yet be made.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that pelts used to provide bearskin do not come from mother bears shot in front of their cubs; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: There have been no pelts procured to produce bearskin caps for the MOD since 2003. Any future requirement would be sourced under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species from licensed traders operating under the jurisdiction of the Canadian authorities.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the alternatives to using bearskin for the manufacture of Guards' caps; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The MOD has been actively seeking an acceptable alternative to real fur for some years and continues to invest in samples and treatments of imitation bearskin. Although successful in identifying fur alternatives for other aspects of ceremonial dress, replicating the complex structure of bear's fur has proven to be a significant challenge and no suitable fur alternative to the Guards bearskin cap has yet been identified. A number of trials have taken place but unfortunately proved unsuccessful. Further trials will take place once suitable products have been identified.

Armed Forces: Widowed People

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces widows voluntarily surrendered their pensions on remarriage or cohabitation in each of the last five years; and what the associated saving to the defence budget was in each year.

Derek Twigg: I am aware that a number of months have now elapsed since I agreed to write to the right hon. Gentleman following his parliamentary question on 3 December 2007,  Official Report, column 824W, about how many Armed Forces widows in each of the last five years voluntarily surrendered their pension on remarriage or cohabitation; and what the associated saving to the defence budget was in each year.
	As I explained in my answer, an exercise is currently being undertaken to provide detailed figures. This has involved the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency conducting a bespoke exercise in order to generate the necessary data required by the scheme actuary to conduct an analysis to answer the second part of your question.
	Unfortunately, this exercise has taken longer than originally anticipated, but I can advise that it is nearing completion and I hope to be in a position to respond to you shortly after the Easter recess.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the cost of the  (a) Bulldog and  (b) Vector vehicle programmes.

Bob Ainsworth: The recent cost estimates for the Bulldog conversion and Vector vehicle procurement programmes are 184 million and 40 million respectively, excluding through life support costs. The estimates also exclude expenditure on additional Urgent Operational Requirements, which are ongoing or that have recently been delivered, as these remain commercially and operationally sensitive.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at how many events held by his Department  (a) wine and  (b) Fairtrade wine were served in the last three years; and what assessment his Department has made of the merits of serving Fairtrade wine at future events.

Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. We have not made an assessment of the merits of serving Fairtrade wine.

Departmental Contracts

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which companies have been awarded contracts by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies for (i) IT projects and (ii) human resources projects in each of the last five years; what the value of each contract awarded was; and what the purpose of each contract was.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Data Protection

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he takes when it appears that personal data held by his Department has been  (a) lost and  (b) disclosed without authorisation; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence views the loss of any personal data seriously and takes all the necessary steps following a loss to ensure that individuals are protected as far as possible against the unauthorised use of their personal information. In the recent case of the loss of recruitment data, this has included providing banks with account details where they were held in order that they can monitor accounts for unauthorised activity. In addition, MOD officials were in contact with the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Identity and Passport Service and the Border and Immigration Agency.
	As announced to the House on 21 January 2008, the Secretary of State for Defence has invited Sir Edmund Burton, Chairman of the Information Assurance Advisory Council, to establish the exact circumstances and events that led to the loss of personal data. Specifically he will examine: the adequacy of the steps taken to prevent any recurrence; MOD policy, practice and management arrangements in respect of the protection of personal data more generally; and make recommendations. It would therefore be premature to comment on any possible findings from the report.
	The Ministry of Defence has formal processes in place to ensure that suspected leaks of official information, including personal data, are thoroughly investigated. Such enquiries may be conducted by the Ministry of Defence police, service police forces or the civilian police as appropriate. Memorandums of Understanding between the Ministry of Defence and the civilian police are in place detailing respective responsibilities.

Departmental Databases

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many requests his Department has received in each year since 1997 from the National Audit Office for access to databases containing personal information on members of the public.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what visits he made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007; and what events he attended at each.

Des Browne: I have not visited any of the listed venues in a ministerial capacity between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2007.

Departmental Early Retirement

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the arrangements are for  (a) communication of pension entitlement,  (b) payment of lump sum payment and  (c) confirmation of pension estimate for those officials from his Department who retired under the voluntary early redundancy scheme on 31 March 2008.

Derek Twigg: The arrangements for estimating and paying those who leave the Department under the voluntary early release scheme are governed by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. The process includes providing an estimate some four months before departure, and then a defined series of steps to enable the correct sum to be confirmed and to be paid as soon as possible following departure.

Departmental Early Retirement

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials from his Department retired under the voluntary early redundancy scheme on 31 March 2008; what proportion of them were not paid their redundancy payment; and for what reason; when he expects  (a) lump sum payments and  (b) confirmation of pension payments to be made to those people; whether those people will be entitled to compensation in consequence of the time taken to (i) confirm arrangements and (ii) pay the lump sum; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: 563 civilian staff left the Ministry of Defence under the early release scheme with a last day of service of 31 March 2008. Of those, authorisation of payment of lump sum had not been made for 194, primarily because of the unusually high number of leavers on the same day.
	All final notification of awards is expected to be complete by 18 April, making it possible for all awards to be made by the end of April. If payments cannot be made until more than one month after departure, we do consider the case for ex-gratia compensation, depending on the circumstances of a specific case.

Departmental Pay

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2008,  Official Report, columns 734-35W, what paid leave entitlements apply to casual staff in his Department.

Derek Twigg: Casual staff receive the same paid leave entitlements as permanent staff. Entitlement is based on length of qualifying service which is currently set at 25 days on entry but may be increased to 30 days if previous reckonable service has occurred with a recognised public body. In addition all staff receive public and privilege holidays which total 10.5 days. Both are pro rata if they are part-time.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many days sick leave were taken on average by staff in his Department in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: The following table displays average working days lost for MOD civilian personnel(1) per calendar year 2003 to 2007.
	
		
			   Average working days lost per calendar year 
			   Non-industrial  Industrial  Total 
			 2003 9.00 13.90 10.00 
			 2004 8.60 14.20 9.70 
			 2005(2) 8.55 12.54 9.30 
			 2006(2) 8.04 12.11 8.82 
			 2007(2) 8.23 11.85 (3)8.61 
			 (1) This includes all permanent and casual non-industrial and industrial civilian personnel, but excludes Trading Fund (except 31 December 2007 figure), Locally Engaged Civilian and Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel. (2) Figures from 2005 onwards are calculated using the Cabinet Office definition of Working Days. Figures prior to this are calculated using the Standardised definition. (3) Total includes Trading Fund personnel, due to a change in definition. Industrial and non-industrial totals may differ from previously published figures for 2007 due to this change in definition.

Departmental Sustainable Development

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is on course to meet sustainable operations on the Government estate targets  (a) to source at least 10 per cent. of its electricity from renewables by 31 March 2008 and (b) to increase recycling figures to 40 per cent. of waste by 2010.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to working to meet the UK Government sustainable operations on the Government estate targets. For the target to source at least 10 per cent. of its electricity from renewable sources, it was agreed that given the very large scale of the MOD estate the MOD should achieve this target by 2010, rather than by 31 March 2008. The latest available data show that, in 2006-07, 8.8 per cent. of electricity procured by MOD through centrally let contracts was sourced from renewable sources.
	In 2006-07, the MOD achieved around a 37 per cent. recycling rate. We will continue to reduce waste and are committed to recovering and recycling more commercial and industrial waste than we send to landfill by 2012 on the way towards becoming a zero-waste to landfill organisation by 2020.

Departmental Sustainable Development

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether his Department has adopted the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management Programme or plans to do so in the next 12 months;
	(2)  whether his Department met the target in the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate to reverse the upward trend in carbon emissions by April 2007.

Derek Twigg: At the time of the launch of the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estates (SOGE) targets in June 2006, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) had already achieved reductions in CO2 emissions from its estate. This trend has continued for the financial year 2006-07 with the MOD achieving an 8 per cent. reduction in CO2 emissions from the MOD Estate against a 1999-2000 baseline (adjusted in March 2008).
	MOD continues to work with the Carbon Trust to trial the Carbon Management Programme on the Office Estate and this will inform adoption elsewhere within the Department. As part of this work MOD is developing the strategy necessary to ensure the carbon neutrality of the Office Estate and Top Level Budget Holders' Headquarters by 2012.

Departmental Sustainable Development

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is working towards an accredited certified environmental management system  (a) for its whole estate and  (b) in some of its buildings.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) Top Level Budget Holders (TLBs) and Trading Fund Agencies (TFAs) are responsible for developing Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) suitable for their different functions and estates. All of these EMSs must be based on ISO 14001 standards. TLBs/TFAs are empowered to decide whether ISO 14001 accreditation is appropriate for their organisation.

Departmental Telephone Services

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) 0800,  (b) 0845 and  (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public are in use by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to his Department.

Derek Twigg: The use of 0800, 0845 or 0870 numbers in the Department and its agencies is determined at local level in accordance with individual business requirements and ordered directly from the supplier. Records of these numbers are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Video Conferencing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set a target to increase the use of video-conferencing by his Department to reduce the need to travel to meetings.

Derek Twigg: The MOD makes good use of video conferencing and continues to refresh the existing video conferencing facilities which have been in use for many years. No targets have been set to increase the use of video conferencing, however, we are determined to reduce the cost of travel and we have put in place the Defence Travel Modernisation programme which is designed to reduce the cost of travel to the Department but, in addition, to enable better management oversight of travel patterns and so manage the need to travel. Areas under consideration include facilities to support remote working where savings of some 10 million are expected over the next five years.

EC Defence Policy

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the remit of the EU Contributors' Committee is; upon what authority it is established; who the chair is; which countries are represented on the committee; what role the European Commission has in the committee; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: A Committee of Contributors is set up in advance of each ESDP operation. It plays a key role as the main forum for contributing nations collectively to discuss all problems relating to the day-to-day management of the operation. The principle of the Committee of Contributors and its role were agreed at the European Council at Nice in 2000.
	Each Committee of Contributors is usually chaired by a representative of the Secretary-General/High Representative or the presidency, assisted by the chairman of the Military Committee of his Deputy.
	All EU member states are entitled to be present at the Committee's discussions irrespective of whether or not they are taking part in the operation, but only contributing states will take part in the day-to-day management of the operation. Non EU European allies and other countries deploying significant military forces under an EU-led operation will have the same rights and obligations in terms of day-to-day management of the operation as EU member states taking part in the operation, including sitting on the Committee of Contributors for that mission.
	Representatives of the Commission and other stakeholders may be invited for relevant parts of the Committee's discussion, as appropriate.

Electronic Government

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether mechanisms are in place to monitor the extent to which his Department's  (a) internal and  (b) external (i) correspondence and (ii) distribution of publications is carried out electronically.

Derek Twigg: There are currently no mechanisms within the MOD to monitor the amount or extent of electronically published material or correspondence. It is MOD policy to reduce the dependency and the amount of paper used within the Department and the significant majority of the Department's manuals and guidance documents are now available in electronic format. Staff are encouraged to use email internally and when appropriate for any external correspondence. Likewise, publication directly to the MOD's website (www.mod.uk) is encouraged.

Gurkha Welfare Trust: Finance

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department contributed to the Gurkha Welfare Trust in each of the last three years; what evaluation he has carried out of the Trust's work; and what plans he has for future funding.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence supports the work of the Gurkha Welfare Trust through the provision of an annual grant in aid. In the last three years this has amounted to:
	
		
			  Financial year   
			 2005-06 878,000 
			 2006-07 (1)679,000 
			 2007-08 988,000 
			 (1) A carry over of funds from the previous year meant that less money than originally budgeted was required by the trust in 2006-07 
		
	
	This money contributes to the administrative costs of the trust's Gurkha Welfare Scheme in Nepal and enables the MOD to fulfil its obligations to pay pensions and deal with welfare issues for serving soldiers in the more remote regions of Nepal.
	The Gurkha Welfare Trust is a registered charity, independent of the Ministry of Defence. It only formally reports to the Ministry of Defence on the expenditure of the grant. However, it is the Department's view that the trust, through its field arm, the Gurkha Welfare Scheme, conducts invaluable work in Nepal, including the payment of welfare pensions to the Gurkha ex-servicemen and widows who do not qualify for a service pension. It provides, free of charge, even in the most remote areas of Nepal where ex-servicemen live, primary health care including doctors' clinics. In addition it provides secondary health care free for all those not in receipt of a service pension and subsidised by 70 per cent. for those who do have a pension. It is involved in delivering community aid including bridge building, drinking water projects and building schools, which benefits not only the ex-service community but the infrastructure of the country as a whole in the brigade's traditional recruiting areas in the foothills of Nepal.
	The grant in aid is provided by the Department under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding. The terms of the arrangement are reviewed every five years.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops deployed to Iraq  (a) were entitled to operational allowance and  (b) received operational allowance in each year since its inception.

Derek Twigg: All Service personnel deployed to Iraq are entitled to receive the operational allowance, which can be paid for a deployment of one day or more.
	Providing details of those personnel who have received the operational allowance specifically for deployment to Iraq and by year is not held, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the mission statement is for British troops in Iraq.

Des Browne: The mission of UK forces in southern Iraq is to support the government of Iraq and their security forces so that they can take responsibility for ensuring security without coalition assistance and create the conditions for economic and political development. This involves monitoring, mentoring and training the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and providing support to ISF-led operations when requested. UK forces also undertake a range of force protection and logistic duties in support of the multi-national force's mission.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army and Reservist personnel who have been deployed on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have not undertaken Operational Training and Assessment Group training.

Des Browne: Territorial Army or Reservist personnel deploying to either Iraq or Afghanistan, or visiting either theatre for six days or more, must have completed Operational Training and Assessment Group (OPTAG) training prior to deployment. Those personnel who are visiting these theatres for a period of five days or less are not required to complete the full OPTAG training package but must, as a minimum, have viewed a training DVD and received a briefing upon deployment. All Territorial Army and Reservist personnel who have been deployed on operations in Iraq or Afghanistan have undertaken the mandated pre-deployment training.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many returnees from  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan have been unable to take post-operational tour leave in accordance with the terms set out in the Army Leave Manual 2000 in each year since 2001.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but the inability to take post operational leave should only occur in exceptional circumstances.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether leave for troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan is counted from the time that a person  (a) leaves for the airhead,  (b) arrives at the airhead,  (c) arrives in the UK or  (d) arrives home.

Bob Ainsworth: Service personnel deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan may be granted 'Rest and Recuperation' (R and R) on the authority of the in-theatre operational commander. This is in addition to annual leave.
	The maximum permissible period for each instance of R and R is 14 nights, inclusive of travelling time. As such, R and R is counted from the time that the individual leaves for the airhead. While the policy on R and R states that it would normally be taken in or as close to theatre as possible, in practice R and R is most commonly taken at home.
	In addition, service personnel receive post operational leave (POL). The qualifying period for POL commences from the day that service personnel leave their permanent duty station and continues until the day they return to it.
	POL, which is also in addition to annual leave, should commence as soon as possible after service personnel arrive home from the qualifying deployment. The journey home is considered as part of the deployment and not as part of POL.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he issues posthumous medals for service personnel who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan while showing courage above and beyond the course of duty.

Derek Twigg: Service in Iraq and Afghanistan is recognised by the award of the Iraq Medal and the Operational Service Medal 'Afghanistan' respectively. The medals are awarded early when a serviceman or woman leaves the operational theatre in the event of wounding or death, regardless of how long they have served there. This policy applies to any operational theatre for which a campaign medal is issued.
	The full range of gallantry and meritorious service awards are also available for those serving on operations and may be awarded posthumously to those killed whilst deployed. Such awards include the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, the Military Cross and the George Medal. A number of these have been awarded posthumously to individuals who had died in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the ultimate British Military award, the Victoria Cross. By such means we ensure that individuals' distinguished actions, courage and bravery are honoured by the nation.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his statement of 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 629, on Iraq, whether  (a) military personnel or  (b) civilian personnel were represented at the meeting on 23 March 2008; and what the (i) rank and (ii) civilian pay grade was of each UK representative present.

Des Browne: Both UK military and civilian personnel attended the meeting in Baghdad on 23 March 2008. The UK representatives were Her Majesty's Ambassador for Baghdad and the Deputy Commanding General Multi-National Forces-Iraq, who is a Lieutenant General, they were supported by three other UK officials.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many violent incidents were reported in  (a) Dhi Qar,  (b) Muthanna,  (c) Maysan and  (d) Basra provinces in each of the last six months.

Des Browne: The number of violent incidents involving Iraqi civilians, Iraqi security forces and/or coalition forces in each province that have been reported to the Multi-National Division (South-East) Headquarters, in each of the last six months are as follows:
	
		
			   Dhi Qar  Al Muthanna  Maysan  Basra 
			 September 2007 4 0 0 108 
			 October 2007 14 0 0 91 
			 November 2007 6 0 0 122 
			 December 2007 5 1 1 85 
			 January 2008 8 0 0 62 
			 February 2008 3 0 0 85

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether British troops are deployed protecting  (a) oil installations and  (b) the port of Shalamchah in southern Iraq.

Des Browne: UK maritime forces, alongside our coalition partners and elements of the Iraqi Navy and Iraqi Marines, continue to focus on the defence and security of the Khawr al Amayah and Al Basra oil terminals (KAAOT and ABOT) in the Northern Gulf. UK forces do not routinely have a direct role in protecting oil installations ashore: this is carried out by the Iraqi security forces.
	UK forces periodically deploy to the border crossing point at Shalamcheh and also provide mentoring and training to the Iraqi Directorate of Border Enforcement, who have primary responsibility for border security.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any requests have been made by  (a) the US and  (b) the Iraqi military that the British Army redeploys into central Basra.

Des Browne: Iraqi requests for military support are made to the Multi-National Forces-Iraq, whose commanders judge whether these are appropriate or militarily viable. UK forces haveas part of the coalition effortprovided a range of support to recent Iraqi Security Force operations against criminal elements in Basra, including the deployment on the ground of elements of two of our battlegroups and small mentoring and advisory teams to Iraqi Army units.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK personnel were deployed to Kosovo in each month since August 2007; how many of those deployed received special training for civilian policing; where within Kosovo they have been deployed; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: There are 175 UK established military posts in Kosovo. All personnel assigned to these posts since August 2007 have been deployed to Pristina, the majority of whom provide situational awareness support to the NATO led Kosovo Force and none undertake civilian policing duties.
	In addition, approximately 50 civilian Ministry of Defence police officers work throughout the country as part of the 65 strong FCO sponsored UK contribution to the UN police mission in Kosovo. Those on regular deployments to Kosovo receive a five day mission-specific pre-deployment course as well training provided by the UN once in theatre.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what command relationship has been agreed between the Kosovo Force and the EU rule of law civilian mission to Kosovo.

Bob Ainsworth: The NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) and the EU rule of law civilian mission (EULEX) operate under two separate chains of command in Kosovo. Technical arrangements to facilitate co-ordination and mutual support between the two organisations are under discussion.

Languages

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's expenditure on language training was in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: Language training for armed forces personnel and MOD civilians is provided mainly by the Defence School of Languages (DSL). The school also provides some training for overseas personnel on a repayment basis.
	The cost of DSL for the financial year 2001-02 to the present date is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year   million 
			 2001-02 6.899 
			 2002-03 6.569 
			 2003-04 7.754 
			 2004-05 7.611 
			 2005-06 8.022 
			 2006-07 7.882 
			 2007-08(1) 8.189 
			 (1)( )Until end February 2008 
		
	
	Information for the period prior to 2001-02 is unavailable; there is no requirement for the Department to retain financial information beyond the six year point.
	Details of expenditure on language training by other MOD facilities are not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many life-flying hours have been completed by the  (a) Apache Attack helicopter,  (b) Gazelle,  (c) Lynx Mk3,  (d) Lynx Mk7,  (e) Lynx Mk8,  (f) Lynx Mk9,  (g) Merlin Mk1 and  (h) Merlin Mk3 military helicopters.

Bob Ainsworth: The figures requested are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Helicopter type  Flying hours 
			 Apache Attack Helicopter 47,385 
			 Gazelle 709,929 
			 Lynx Mark 3 216,772 
			 Lynx Mark 7 496,175 
			 Lynx Mark 8 154,739 
			 Lynx Mark 9 74,448 
			 Merlin Mark 1 46,019 
			 Merlin Mark 3 31,166 
		
	
	These figures represent the total flying hours completed by aircraft in the current fleet, and are the latest available for each airframe. They do not include the hours flown by any aircraft which have been sold or are no longer in service for whatever reason.

Military Bases: Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with the Ministry of Justice on using space at the Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester to accommodate civilian prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The Government have no plan to accommodate civilian prisoners at the Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester.

Mineral Waters

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many litres of bottled water were purchased by his Department in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

MOD Aberporth: Manpower

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the workforce strength at MOD Aberporth is.

Bob Ainsworth: As of 4 April 2008, 268 people were employed at MOD Aberporth, broken down as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 QinetiQ 208 
			 Ministry of Defence including Met Office 13 
			 Support contractors/others 47

Navy: Piracy

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in how many incidents of tackling piracy the Royal Navy was involved in each of the last five years; and what the date  (a) and  (b) location of each incident was.

Bob Ainsworth: The Royal Navy has been involved in tackling three incidents of piracy over the last five years as shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Date  Country 
			 January 2006 Somalia 
			 December 2007 Somalia 
			 February 2008 Somalia 
		
	
	In each of these incidents, Royal Navy ships fulfilled supporting roles, including providing situational awareness. In addition, the Royal Navy has responded to incidents of suspected piracy which transpired to be local disputes and has been made aware of other incidents where other nations' ships have been better geographically placed to become involved in tackling the piracy.

Official Engagements

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his official engagements were from 25 February to 1 April 2008.

Des Browne: Throughout the period 25 February and 1 April, I had various meetings in London and Scotland, including with ministerial colleagues and officials from the MOD and Scotland office. In addition, on 26 February I had a video/telephone conference with the NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. On 28 February, I met the Australian High Commissioner. On 29 February, I visited HMS Gannet and met with representatives of the Scottish Pensioners Forum in Edinburgh. On 3 March, I answered Defence questions in the House of Commons and, in the evening, attended the Graduation Reception of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. On 4 March I had separate meetings with the Dutch Ambassador, with Dr. Paul Sender, the recently-returned head of the British Health Organisation in Afghanistan, and with a representative of the media. On 5 March, I answered Scottish questions in the House of Commons. On 6 March, had a meeting with Gerry Grimstone, the Chairman of Standard Life. I also had meetings with the Albanian Defence Minister, with former Chiefs of the Defence Staff in the House of Lords, and with Quentin Davies MP on the Armed Forces National Recognition Study. On 8 March, I attended a Veterans Badge Presentation Event in Edinburgh and the RBS Six Nations Scotland v. England rugby match at Murrayfield. On 19 March, I met representatives of the Scottish War Widows Association at 10 Downing Street. On 25 March, I met the bereaved mother of a serviceman. On 26 March, I gave an interview to a national newspaper and attended President Sarkozy's parliamentary address at the House of Commons. On 27 March, I attended the Anglo-French summit, which included a bilateral meeting with the French Defence Minister. On 31 March, I attended the launch for Stephen Walker's book, 'Shot at Dawn'. On 1 April, I attended the Media Launch of TA100, the 100th anniversary of the Territorial Army, at the Tower of London and the Fly Past for the RAF 90th Anniversary at MOD Main Building.

Press Offices

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of the press offices of  (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies were in each year since 1996-97; what the cost was in each quarter since 1 April 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The information requested across the Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The central MOD Press Office in London cost 3 million in 2006-07, the latest year for which audited figures are available. This figure includes press officers and support staff pay and allowances capitation; programme costs such as press cuttings and electronic media monitoring.
	Any data before this for the central press office could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Public Expenditure

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the forecast cost increase of 1.7 billion in his Department's budget will be spent on; and over what time period.

Bob Ainsworth: Any increase in the Defence budget is spent on the provision of Defence capability.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value was of each contract awarded to Rackspace by  (a) his Department  (b) its agencies in each of the last nine years.

Bob Ainsworth: The MOD has placed three contracts with Rackspace as detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Contract number  Contract value, excluding VAT () 
			 AG1A/1453 77,621.00 
			 VCMMS/119003 129,831.00 
			 VCMMS/119658 1,746,316.00

RAF Menwith Hill

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conditions in the agreement with the US for its use of  (a) RAF Menwith Hill and  (b) RAF Fylingdales would apply in the event of its premature termination.

Bob Ainsworth: RAF Menwith Hill is made available to the United States Visiting Force under the terms of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement of 1951, and other confidential arrangements. The Status of Forces Agreement does not have a termination date. RAF Menwith Hill will continue to be made available to the United States Visiting Force for as long as it is in our mutual defence interests.
	Under the terms of the agreements which apply to the use of RAF Fylingdales for ballistic missile early warning and ballistic missile defence, the US Government retains ownership and control of all of its assets in the event of either party terminating the Agreements. Should either party decide to terminate the arrangement that currently exists, that party would be obliged to continue its participation until the effective date of termination, so as to minimise the impact to the other participant. In this situation, any costs that are incurred by the terminating participant would not exceed its total financial commitment for jointly approved activities. Outwith these agreements, RAF Fylingdales would remain in place to execute its ballistic missile early warning and space surveillance missions in defence of the UK.

Reserve Forces

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the Answer of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 782-90W, on reserve forces, what the  (a) actual strength and  (b) unit establishment of (i) men and (ii) women (A) officers and (B) other ranks was in each of the reserve forces, broken down by (1) the Territorial Army by arm and corps and (2) (x) the Royal Navy Reserve and (y) the Royal Auxiliary Air Force by functional category in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: A detailed breakdown of Territorial Army Liability figures by Arm Service is not available, as the figures are not captured in this way. However, the overall Territorial Army liability as at 1 March 2007 was 42,000 which included 3,500 Officer Training Corps.
	A breakdown of the Territorial Army by Arm Service, officer/other ranks and gender can be found in the 1 March 2007 Army Monthly Manning Report, Section G, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	Reliable information on Royal Navy Reserve functional categories is not held centrally and cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. The following table shows the strength of the Royal Naval Reserve by unit, officer/rating and gender as at 31 March 2008. The total Royal Naval Reserve requirement as at 31 March 2008 was 2,280.
	
		
			   Officers  Ratings  
			  Unit  Female  Male  Female  Male  Unit total 
			 HMS Calliope  30 20 60 110 
			 HMS Cambria 10 20 20 50 100 
			 HMS Caroline 10 20 20 50 90 
			 HMS Dalriada 10 20 10 40 80 
			 HMS Eaglet 20 50 20 90 180 
			 HMS Ferret 10 50   70 
			 HMS Flying Fox  30 10 40 90 
			 HMS Forward 10 30 20 40 100 
			 HMS King Alfred 10 90 30 70 210 
			 HMS President 30 80 30 90 230 
			 HMS Scotia 10 30 20 60 120 
			 HMS Sherwood  40 20 60 120 
			 HMS Vivid 20 20 30 70 140 
			 HMS Wildfire 20 30 20 20 80 
			 Air branch 10 160 10 160 330 
			 MW CD  
			 Media relations 30 40   70 
			 Total 190 730 280 920 2,120 
		
	
	The following table shows the strength of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force by branch/trade, officer/other ranks and gender as at 1 February 2008.
	
		
			   Officers  Other ranks  
			  Branch/trade  Female  Male  Female  Male  Total 
			 Other10 20 
			 Aircraft Engineering  
			 Avionics  
			 Communications and Information Systems  
			 General Engineering20 20 
			 Mechanical Transport30 40 
			 Security   20 580 600 
			 Air Traffic Control   20 50 70 
			 General Service   20 40 60 
			 Telecommunications10 10 
			 Safety and Surface  
			 Photography40 40 
			 Medical   50 50 100 
			 Accounting and Secretarial   20 20 40 
			 Supply and Movements   30 140 170 
			 Catering20 20 
			 General Duties  
			 General Duties (Pilot)  20   20 
			 General Duties (Navigator)  10   10 
			 Medical 10 40   50 
			 Flying Branch  
			 Administrative (Secretarial) 10 30   40 
			 Engineer  
			 General Duties (Air Loadmaster)  
			 Medical Officer  10   10 
			 Medical Support  
			 Non Commissioned Aircrew and Weapons20 20 
			 Operations Support (Air Traffic Control)  
			 Operations Support (Fighter Control)  
			 Operations Support (Flight Operations)  20   30 
			 Operations Support (Intelligence)  20   30 
			 Operations Support (Provost Security)  
			 Operations Support (Regiment)  20   20 
			 Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service  
			 Supply  10   10 
			 Army Air Corps  
			 Total 40 190 180 1,040 1,460 
		
	
	The following table shows the establishment of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force by unit as at 1 January 2008.
	
		
			  Unit  Establishment 
			 1359 Flt (HRA) 30 
			 501 SqnOPS SPT(STO) 120 
			 504 SqnOPS SPT(STO) 120 
			 600 SqnHQ support 140 
			 603 SqnOPS SPT(STO) 120 
			 606 SqnHelicopter support 160 
			 609 SqnOPS SPT(STO) 120 
			 612 SqnAir Transportable Surgical Sqn 70 
			 2503 SqnRAF Regiment Field Sqn Support 110 
			 2620 SqnOPS SPT(STO) 110 
			 2622 SqnRAF Regiment Field Sqn Support 110 
			 2623 SqnJoint NEC Regiment Ops 70 
			 4624 SqnMovements 270 
			 4626 SqnAeromedical evacuation 160 
			 7006 (VR) SqnIntelligence 80 
			 7010 (VR) SqnPhotographic Interpretation 60 
			 7630 (VR) SqnIntelligence 30 
			 7644 (VR) SqnPublic Relations 20 
			 3 (RAuxAF) Sqn Tactical Provost Wing 50 
			 Total 1,960

Reserve Forces: Health Services

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical reservists there were in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2008.

Derek Twigg: Figures are not available for 1997 due to electronic records not being retained beyond 12 months from discharge. In 2008 there were 3,585 medical reservists.

Royal Irish Regiment

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Home Service Royal Irish Regiment part-time  (a) soldiers and  (b) officers serving on 1 September 2006 had (i) 0 to five years service, (ii) six to 10 years service, (iii) 11 to 15 years service, (iv) 16 to 20 years service, (v) 21 to 26 years service and (vi) over 26 years service on that date.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 3 April 2008
	The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Somalia: Piracy

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of pirate activity in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence keeps the piracy situation globally under review in support of maritime operations, UK economic and security interests and those of its partners and allies. This includes monitoring pirate activity off the coast of Somalia.
	Policy lead for piracy across Government lies with the Department for Transport.

Somalia: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of  (a) the security situation in Somalia and  (b) the required (i) size and (ii) makeup of a military deployment to stabilize the country; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The security situation in Somalia as a whole remains unstable and volatile. Without the beginnings of a definable peace process and a willingness of Somalis to engage in such a process, a military deployment to stabilize the country is unlikely. Notwithstanding this, the continued efforts of Uganda and Burundi to supply troops to African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) should be commended for bringing an element of security and humanitarian assistance to critical areas of Mogadishu.
	The UK has not carried out a detailed assessment of the force structure required for a military deployment to stabilize the country as this is a task for the UN. If the UN decides that conditions are right for the introduction of such a force, then UK will treat any requests for assistance on their individual merits after considering our available capacity to assist.

Warships

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 350-51W, when the decision not to accept the recommendation of his Department's 1998 operational analysis was taken; what the evidential basis for the decision was; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence never committed to build a fifth Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary). The four Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) now in service provide a significantly greater sealift capacity than the five Landing Ships Logistic that they have replaced.

TREASURY

Banks: Iran

William Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many UK banks are being investigated by the US authorities in relation to US unilateral sanctions on Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The United States Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated a number of Iranian state-controlled banks and their overseas branches and subsidiaries under its domestic sanctions. Three of these banks have subsidiaries in the UK (Bank Melli Plc, Bank Saderat Plc and Persia International Bank Plc). Another Iranian state-owned bank, Bank Sepah, and its UK subsidiary, has been designated by the United Nations under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747 as well as by the United States domestically.
	The UK Government do not comment on individual investigations by the United States authorities, which are a matter for those authorities.

Capital Allowances: Enterprise Zones

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the change in receipts to the Exchequer in each of the next three years from the removal of enterprise zone allowances in  (a) real and  (b) cash terms.

Jane Kennedy: As announced on 17 December 2007, enterprise zone allowances will be withdrawn from April 2011 as a consequence of the withdrawal of industrial buildings allowances. There is therefore no increase in receipts to the Exchequer in the next three years. Table A.2 (Item b) of the 2008 Financial Statement and Budget report shows the impact on government revenues estimated for those years. A link to the report can be found at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/2/5/bud08_chaptera.pdf

Christmas

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department and its agencies have spent on Christmas  (a) cards,  (b) parties and  (c) decorations in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on  (a) Christmas cards and  (b) postage of Christmas cards in 2007.

Anne Milton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department's agencies spent on  (a) Christmas cards and  (b) postage of Christmas cards in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The cost to the Treasury of purchasing Christmas cards in 2007 was 8,345. The figure for the Debt Management Office was 593. Information relating to postage costs is not available.
	The Treasury's cards were purchased from Card Aid, who made a donation to charity on behalf of the Department.
	Christmas parties are funded by staff themselves and not the Department. Christmas decorations are also purchased either by staff or by facilities management companies without recourse to public funds.

Council Tax: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) estimated cost,  (b) completion date and  (c) function is of the Valuation Office Agency's council tax list maintenance - banding support tool database.

Jane Kennedy: As part of its investment in modern technology to deliver a more efficient and cost-effective service to the public, the Valuation Office Agency has recently introduced its banding support tool to support current council tax list maintenance. This has been delivered on time (delivery date 27 March 2008) and within budget (at 995,000). Simply stated, it assists decision making by VOA staff in relation to new or altered bandings by automatically identifying the most relevant comparable properties. This aids speed and consistency.

Council Tax: Wales

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 March 2008,  Official Report, column 725W, on Valuation Office: Wales, how many of the appeals resulted in a  (a) move up and  (b) move down the council tax banding.

Jane Kennedy: Of the 12,458 appeals and/or formal proposals resulting in a council tax band amendment, 11,525 resulted in a band reduction and 933 resulted in a band increase. They represent 0.84 per cent. and 0.07 per cent. respectively of the total number of dwellings in the council tax valuation lists.

Council Tax: Wales

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he expects the Valuation Office Agency to commence work on council tax revaluation in Wales.

Jane Kennedy: No decision has been made on any future Council Tax Revaluation in Wales.

Council Tax: Wales

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what timetable has been set for the Valuation Office Agency to extend the use of the Automated Valuation Model to Wales.

Jane Kennedy: No timetable has been set.

Credit

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations his Department has made to banks on restructuring the level of individual credit, with particular reference to home buyers, since May 1997.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury regularly meets with representatives of the banking sector to discuss a wide range of issues including individual credit.
	In 2004, the Government put in place Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulation of mortgages. The FSA's regime offers appropriate consumer protection and access to means of redress where consumers experience problems.
	The OFT regulates other consumer credit business. Regulation of consumer credit is being further strengthened with the implementation of the 2006 Consumer Credit Act, due by October 2008.

Debts

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government have taken in the last 12 months to assist those with very high levels of personal debt.

Angela Eagle: The Government's assessment of personal debt and details of the steps the Government have taken to address debt problems over the last year can be found in the Government's Tackling Over-indebtedness: annual report 2007, available at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file42700.pdf
	The Government set up the 130 million Financial Inclusion Fund for 2008-11 to support the continued provision of free face-to-face debt advice for those who are financially excluded, and to widen access to affordable credit.
	On 3 March 2008, the Government announced a two-year, 12 million Money Guidance pathfinder. This pilot service offers people impartial, personalised information and support on a range of money issues to help people find ways to avoid getting into personal debt. The forthcoming financial capability action plan will set out measures to improve financial capability in the UK, including plans for taking forward the Money Guidance pathfinder.

Departmental Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department and its agencies has spent on  (a) locating,  (b) recovering and  (c) identifying the information held on lost or stolen (i) electronic equipment, (ii) documents and (iii) other data storage means in each of the last 12 months.

Jane Kennedy: The associated costs are not separable from the overall running costs and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, column 37W, on data protection, what estimate he has made of the  (a) type and  (b) volume of data processed in (i) Tyne and Wear, (ii) London, (iii) Manchester, (iv) Nottingham, (v) Worthing, (vi) Telford and (vii) Preston.

Jane Kennedy: The location of HMRC's Data Guardians is incidental to the work they do. For this reason information is not held in the form requested and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, column 37W, on data protection, what extra  (a) pay,  (b) support and  (c) other resources each of the data guardians receives to carry out their duties.

Jane Kennedy: Data guardians are appointed from within HMRC's existing pay grades. All data guardians are provided with required training and support. HMRC will continue to monitor the data guardians' roles and responsibilities and future training needs, as part of its wider departmental data security responsibilities.

Departmental Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, column 37W, on data protection, whether he plans the role of data guardians as a permanent measure.

Jane Kennedy: The data guardian posts are permanent posts. HMRC will continue to monitor their roles and responsibilities as part of its wider departmental data security responsibilities.

Departmental Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, column 37W, on data protection, what the  (a) amount of data processed,  (b) type of data processed and  (c) business unit is for which each data guardian is responsible.

Jane Kennedy: The work of each data guardian varies according to the size of their respective business unit and the amount and type of data that it processes. The information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of his departmental website.

Angela Eagle: In 2004, the website was redesigned to improve navigation and meet accessibility standards at a cost of 22,000 excluding VAT.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since July 2007.

Angela Eagle: Two new offences were created during the relevant period:
	Under the Finance Act 2007 (c.11), which received Royal Assent on 19 July 2007, for fraudulent evasion of the payment of the remote gaming duty (Sch 1, Pt 1, para 26L(2)); and
	Under section 39(9) of the Statistics and Registration Services Act 2007 (c.18), which received Royal Assent on 26 July 2007, for the disclosure, in contravention of section 39(1), of personal information held by the Statistics Board.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since May 1997.

Angela Eagle: The information requested is contained in 13 Finance Acts and could be extracted only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Listed Buildings

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what applications have been made for listed building consent in relation to Treasury buildings since May 1997.

Angela Eagle: Three applications have been made for listed building consent for the Treasury building in London. They were all for the Government Offices, Great George Street building and were for: refurbishment of the West End of the building; installation of bronze castings within the kerb of the main entrance ramp; and internal alterations to partitions within the building.

Departmental Manpower

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) permanent civil service posts,  (b) permanent non-civil service posts and  (c) temporary or agency workers in employment in his Department there were in each month since May 2005.

Angela Eagle: The latest civil service employment statistics are as published by the Office of National Statistics in the Civil Service Statistics document and tables available at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=2899Pos=1ColRank=2Rank=272
	and in the HM Treasury annual report and accounts 2006-07 which can be accessed at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/A/2/annual_report07.pdf
	Any further breakdown could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Marketing

Greg Pope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on publicity and advertising in 2007-08.

Angela Eagle: The information requested will be available after the conclusion of the Comptroller and Auditor General's audit of the Department's resource accounts. Publication of the resource accounts is planned for June.

Departmental Public Participation

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many public consultations his Department has held in the last three years; and how many respondents there were to each.

Angela Eagle: A list of the public consultations undertaken by the Treasury since 2000 is available on the Department's website:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consultations_and_legislation/consult_fullindex.cfm
	61 consultations (which are now closed) have been launched since 1 April 2005 and eight consultations are currently live.
	How many respondents there were to each consultation could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) surveys,  (b) questionnaires and  (c) other services were provided by polling companies for his Department in financial year 2007-08, broken down by company.

Angela Eagle: Information relating to the details of the services provided by polling organisations is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Publications

David Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance is issued to members of his Department on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Civil Service Code, the Civil Service Management Code and Propriety Guidance on Government Communications, all provide guidance to staff on the publication of material relating to their official duties. Copies of each of these are in the Libraries of the House. They are also available on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many days sick leave were taken on average by staff in his Department in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: The latest available data on sickness absence is published at the Cabinet Office statistics website under Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/conditions%5Fof%5Fservice/publications/

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of his Department's staff took more than  (a) five,  (b) 10,  (c) 15,  (d) 20,  (e) 25,  (f) 30,  (g) 35 and  (h) 40 days leave due to stress in each of the last five years, broken down by pay grade.

Angela Eagle: Information relating to sickness absence by staff of the Treasury are published in the Sickness Absence in the Civil Service FY 2006-07 Report commissioned by the Cabinet Office which is accessible at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp

Departmental Video Conferencing

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set a target to increase the use of video-conferencing by his Department to reduce the need to travel to meetings.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury has 19 video conferencing facilities and is planning to install more. Treasury staff are already actively encouraged to use video-conferencing, instead of travelling to meetings to reduce emissions and save official time.

Exchange Controls: Economic and Monetary Union

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers  (a) the Government and  (b) the European Union has to introduce exchange controls between Sterling and the euro; what his policy is on the introduction of such exchange controls; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Government's macroeconomic framework includes a monetary policy framework that seeks to deliver low and stable inflation through a symmetric inflation target, not an exchange rate target. By maintaining sound public finances and low inflation the Government contribute to exchange rate stability. This is consistent with their objective of a stable and competitive pound over the medium-term.
	The Government remain fully committed to their macroeconomic framework and as part of that they would not choose to exercise any powers that they have through exchange controls. Any exchange controls would have to be consistent with the general prohibition in the EU treaty of restrictions on the movement of capital and payments.

Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what percentage of the average price of a pint of beer comprised tax in each of the last 10 years; and what percentage it will be in 2008-09;
	(2)  what percentage of the average price of a bottle of spirits comprised tax in each of the last 10 years; and what percentage it will be in 2008-09.

Angela Eagle: Such percentages are dependent on the particular product for which they are calculated and will vary with both the movement in prices and duty rates overtime. Some estimates based on prices included in the RPI can be found in the alcohol fact sheet at
	www.uktradeinfo.co.uk
	These have not yet been updated with 2007 figures shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Year  Retail price ()( 1)  Total tax as a percentage of retail price 
			 On-trade lager (pint) 2007 2.48 28 
			 Off-trade lager four large (440ml) cans 2007 2.83 50 
			 On-trade beer (Bitter) pint 2007 2.28 28 
			 Off-trade whisky 70cl 2007 12.08 60 
			 Off-trade vodka 70cl 2007 10.84 62 
			 (1) Prices relate to April 2007 
		
	
	Over the last 10 years to 2007, alcoholic drinks became on average 25 per cent. more affordable in the on-trade and 33 per cent. more affordable in the off-trade, relative to consumer incomes. Tax increased by four pence per pint and 55 pence per 70cl bottle of spirits in Budget 2008. The percentage of retail prices that these increases represent in 2008-09 will depend on the industry's pricing decisions.

Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 38-9W, on excise duties: alcoholic drinks, what the underlying trend in alcohol consumption was to which the Answer refers; and what the absolute values for consumption were in each year.

Angela Eagle: The revenue forecast for alcohol duties reflect the underlying trend in alcohol consumption, as measured by HM Revenue and Customs data on quantities of alcohol products cleared or released for UK consumption. Published estimates of quantities for each drink type are available from the UK Trade Info website:
	http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bulletins
	These historical estimates are used in an econometric model to forecast revenues from alcohol duties, but separate forecasts of quantities are not published. The revenue forecast from spirits, wine and beer and cider duties in 2007-08 and 2008-09 is published in Table C6 of the 2008 Budget report:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget/budget_08/report/bud_bud08_repindex.cfm

Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to assess the effect of the level of alcohol duty announced in the 2008 Budget on people's consumption of alcohol, broken down by category of consumer.

Angela Eagle: None. The intention of the increases in alcohol duty announced at Budget was to raise revenue, not to tackle problem drinking. HM Revenue and Customs monitor receipts from alcohol duty. This is broken down by product rather than consumer.

Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was raised from  (a) vehicle excise duty and  (b) fuel duty in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor the hon. Member for Wentworth (John Healey) to the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on 2 May 2007,  Official Report, column 1744W, and the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 22 November 2007,  Official Report, column 1050W.
	The Treasury has published details of tax receipts as a matter of routine in successive pre-Budget and Budget reports. The most recent can be found in Table C6 of the Chancellor's 2008 Budget Report at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/7/3/bud08_chapterc.pdf

Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the total revenue from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) was in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08, broken down by VED bands A to G;
	(2)  what the total projected HM Revenue and Customs revenue is from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11, broken down by VED bands A to M; and how much of that relates to the (i) standard rate and (ii) first year charge;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of likely changes in total carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11, as a result of the changes in rates of vehicle excise duty announced in the Budget 2008.

Angela Eagle: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) administers and collects VED.
	Budget 2008 reformed the VED structure to strengthen the environmental incentive to develop and purchase fuel-efficient cars. The reforms take effect from 2009-10 and 2010-11. They are forecast to result in rising carbon savings over time as the number of low carbon cars significantly increases. In 2020 the changes are forecast to deliver carbon savings of 0.16 MtCO2. The role of VED also needs to be considered in the context of the wider range of economic and other measures which influence motorists, such as fuel duty, company car tax, European regulations and the labelling scheme in car showrooms.
	The following table shows the total revenue raised from VED bands A-G in 2006-07 and 2007-08. The disaggregated figures for VED revenues by CO2 emissions banding have been estimated by the DVLA based on DFT data. The figures for 2007-08 are provisional and subject to audit.
	
		
			   million 
			   2007-08  2006-07 
			 Band A   
			 Band B 16.19 17.35 
			 Band C 531.82 413.15 
			 Band D 518.83 415.29 
			 Band E 450.24 364.57 
			 Band F 791.14 684.02 
			 Band G 75.81 28.68 
		
	
	The following tables show the forecast of VED revenues from cars (rounded to the nearest 5 million) registered on or after 1 March 2001 in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11
	
		
			  Revenue figures standard rates 
			   million 
			  2008-09  
			 A  
			 B 20 
			 C 645 
			 D 610 
			 E 580 
			 F 880 
			 G 185 
		
	
	
		
			  Revenue figures standard rates 
			   million 
			   2009-10  2010-11 
			 A 0 0 
			 B 5 5 
			 C 15 15 
			 D 60 65 
			 E 265 275 
			 F 375 385 
			 G 495 500 
			 H 425 430 
			 1 370 370 
			 J 680 690 
			 K 775 450 
			 L 115 410 
			 M 140 325 
		
	
	
		
			  Revenue figures first year rates 
			   million 
			  2010-11  
			 A 0 
			 B 0 
			 C 0 
			 D 0 
			 E 55 
			 F 45 
			 G 60 
			 H 55 
			 I 50 
			 J 80 
			 K 60 
			 L 50 
			 M 55

Far Eastern Investment Corporation

Richard Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has recently met representatives of the Far Eastern Investment Corporation.

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he or his officials have met representatives of the Far Eastern Investment Corporation in relation to Northern Rock.

Angela Eagle: Throughout the period of exploring a private sector solution for Northern Rock there were frequent meetings with the representatives of the private sector bidders.

Financial Inclusion Fund

Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he proposes to allocate to the Financial Inclusion Fund in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The comprehensive spending review in October 2007 announced that there will be 130 million available for the Financial Inclusion Fund in 2008-11. The allocations for the next three years are:
	
		
			   Financial Inclusion Fund allocation ( million) 
			 2008-09 42.996 
			 2009-10 43.457 
			 2010-11 43.547 
			 Total 130

Foreign Loans: World War II

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what means his Department has received confirmation from his US counterparts that payments by the UK to the US for assistance related to the Second World War have been concluded.

Angela Eagle: The amount of the final repayment was confirmed with the US Treasury in advance and repaid on 29 December 2006.

Government Departments: Property

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what records the Electronic Property Information Mapping Service (e-PIMS) holds on the  (a) rateable value and  (b) notional rental cost of empty property.

Angela Eagle: Information on the rateable value and notional rental cost of every empty property is not held centrally on e-PIMS and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Income

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average annual income was for people in each socio-economic group in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The available information is given in the following tables:
	
		
			  Median equivalised household income, before housing costs, by socio-economic status of household reference person, 2001-02 to 2005-06, United Kingdom except where noted 
			   
			  Socio-economic status  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Higher managerial and professional occupations 29,000 28,000 30,000 31,000 32,000 
			 Lower managerial and professional occupations 22,000 23,000 24,000 24,000 25,000 
			 Intermediate occupations 18,000 18,000 19,000 19,000 20,000 
			 Small employers and own account workers 16,000 17,000 17,000 17,000 17,000 
			 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 18,000 18,000 19,000 19,000 20,000 
			 Semi-routine occupations 15,000 15,000 15,000 16,000 16,000 
			 Routine occupations 14,000 15,000 15,000 16,000 17,000 
			 Never worked and long-term unemployed (1)11,000 (2)12,000 10,000 11,000 11,000 
			 Not classified (1) (2) 13,000 14,000 14,000 
			  Source: Family Resources Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Median equivalised household income, after housing costs, by socio-economic status of household reference person, 2001-02 to 2005-06, United Kingdom except where noted 
			   
			  Socio-economic status  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Higher managerial and professional occupations 24,000 25,000 26,000 26,000 27,000 
			 Lower managerial and professional occupations 19,000 20,000 21,000 21,000 21,000 
			 Intermediate occupations 15,000 16,000 16,000 16,000 17,000 
			 Small employers and own account workers 14,000 15,000 14,000 15,000 14,000 
			 Lower supervisory and technical occupations 15,000 16,000 16,000 17,000 17,000 
			 Semi-routine occupations 12,000 13,000 13,000 13,000 14,000 
			 Routine occupations 12,000 13,000 13,000 14,000 14,000 
			 Never worked and long-term unemployed (1)10,000 (2)10,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 
			 Not classified (1) (2) 11,000 12,000 12,000 
			  Notes:  1. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or equivalised) for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. The incomes presented here are at a household rather than individual level.  2. The figures are based on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) equalisation factors and are rounded to the nearest 1,000.  3. The national median income of the survey year in question has been used (i.e. the contemporary median) instead of using a fixed median for a particular year. This is consistent with the preferred way of measuring poverty.  4. All figures are shown in nominal terms (i.e. not adjusted for inflation).  5. Median incomes have been provided rather than mean incomes because the income distribution is skewed with some outliers with high incomes.  6. Socio-economic status of household is defined by the socio-economic group of the household reference person, who is defined as the highest income householder without regard to gender.  7. Information by socio-economic group is defined by National Statistics socio-economic classification. This was introduced in 2001 and information on a consistent basis for earlier years is not available. A split between the 'never worked and long-term unemployed' and 'undefined' category is available only from 2003-04.  8. Results cover the United Kingdom, except for 2001-02 where only Great Britain is covered.   Source:  Family Resources Survey.

Income Tax: Scotland

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many individuals in  (a) Scotland,  (b) each Scottish parliamentary constituency and  (c) each Scottish local authority area were paying only the 10 pence starting rate of income tax as at 1 April 2008;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of individuals in  (a) Scotland,  (b) each Scottish parliamentary constituency and  (c) each Scottish local authority area who will (i) be better off, (ii) be worse off and (iii) will experience a neutral effect from the abolition of the 10 pence starting rate of income tax;
	(3)  how many households in  (a) Scotland,  (b) each Scottish parliamentary constituency and  (c) each Scottish local authority area were paying only the 10 pence starting rate of income tax as at 1 April 2008;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the number of households in  (a) Scotland,  (b) each Scottish parliamentary constituency and  (c) each Scottish local authority area which will be (i) better off, (ii) worse off and (iii) will experience a neutral effect from the abolition of the 10 pence starting rate of income tax.

Jane Kennedy: The removal of the 10p rate is part of a package of reforms announced in Budget 2007 that also involved changes to tax credits, which are awarded based on family income. As a result of these reforms four-in-five households in Scotland are better or no worse off than if they had not taken place. The average Scottish household will be 80 better off as a result of this package. It is not possible to estimate the impact of the reform package below devolved administration or Government Office Region level.
	An estimate for the number of taxpayers in Scotland paying tax only at the starting rate of income tax for 2007-08 is provided in table T2.2, which is available from HM Revenue and Customs website.
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm
	The effect of the package of personal tax reforms announced in Budget 2007 on taxpayers paying income tax only at the starting rate will depend on their individual circumstances, for example, whether they have dependent children, or their age.
	Available information on the total number of taxpayers in Scotland, Scottish local authorities and each Scottish parliamentary constituency are shown in tables T3.13, T3.14 and T3.15 respectively, which can be found at the HM Revenue and Customs website.
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu.htm

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the revenue to the Exchequer from an increase in the higher rate of income tax by one penny in 2008-09 from  (a) England and  (b) the United Kingdom;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the gross revenue which will accrue from an increase in the basic rate of income tax by one penny in 2008-09 from  (a) England and  (b) the UK.

Jane Kennedy: The cost or yield from a 1p change in the basic and higher rate of income tax is regularly published in the Tax ready reckoner and tax reliefs, copies of which are in the Library, and in Table 1.6 on the HM Revenue and Customs' website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/menu.htm
	An updated version of Table 1.6 reflecting changes announced in Budget 2007 which take effect from April 2008 is due to be published at the end of April.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value was of each contract awarded by his Department to Karian and Box since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury has awarded no contracts to Karian and Box since 2002. Information on contracts prior to 2002 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Low Incomes: Personal Savings

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government have taken in the last 12 months to encourage low income families to save money.

Angela Eagle: Since 1997, the Government have sought to support saving and asset ownership for all, from childhood, through working life and into retirement. The Government have introduced ISAs which seek to develop and extend the saving habit; one in five people from low income groups now holds an ISA. The Government have also introduced the Child Trust Fund, which will ensure that, in future, all young people have a financial asset at 18. Personal Accounts, for pension saving, will be introduced in 2012 and will promote saving for retirement. Budget 2008 announced that the Saving Gateway will be introduced nationally, with the first accounts available to savers in 2010. The scheme will provide a financial incentive to save for those on lower incomes through matching (a Government contribution for each pound saved).

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter of 27 February 2008 from the hon. Member for Walsall North on a constituent.

Angela Eagle: I have replied to the hon. Member.

National Savings and Investments: Advertising

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the advertising and sponsorship spend of National Savings and Investments in 2007-08.

Angela Eagle: The estimated spend on NS and I advertising and sponsorship in 2007-08 is 8.3 million. This is an estimate and final outturn will be reported in NS and I's 2007-08 annual report.

Northern Rock

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he plans to account for the borrowing needed to provide loans to Northern Rock; and where the borrowed funds will appear in his Department's accounts.

Angela Eagle: Current accounting arrangements for loans made by the Bank of England to Northern Rock are set out in to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 22 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1962W.
	In Budget 2008, following the decision to take Northern Rock into a period of temporary public ownership, the Treasury announced it will replace the Bank of England's loan to Northern Rock with direct Treasury funding during 2008-09 (Budget 2008, Chapter 2, paras 42-46). The Government Financial Reporting Manual (FReM) requires disclosure of future developments, and post balance sheet events, in a Department's Resource Accounts. These requirements will be taken into account when preparing the HM Treasury's 2007-08 accounts. Future accounting arrangements will be set out in future HM Treasury departmental resource accounts.

Northern Rock: Financial Services Authority

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff at the Financial Services Authority were engaged in supervising Northern Rock prior to September 2007; and how many are currently employed in supervising Northern Rock.

Angela Eagle: The Financial Services Authority is responsible for the recruitment and management of its own executive staff. Hector Sants, chief executive of the FSA, has agreed to write to the hon. Member on this matter.

Northern Rock: Mortgages

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of whether mortgages classified by Northern Rock as undergoing a voluntary payment holiday are correctly so classified.

Angela Eagle: Northern Rock's policy on payment holidays has been considered by the Financial Services Authority as part of its supervision of the bank.

Property Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what works have been undertaken on his Department's property under the Circular 18/84 procedure and its successor since May 1997.

Angela Eagle: Planning consents were obtained for:
	the refurbishment of the West End of the Government Offices, Great George Street including restoration works to the central circular courtyard, addition of a roof over a western internal courtyard, installation of new lifts and plant, enhanced goods and waste servicing on King Charles Street and associated works;
	the refurbishment of part of Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London for the Office of Government Commerce; and
	the refurbishment of part of Rosebery Court, Norwich also for the Office of Government Commerce.

Public Expenditure: Department for Work and Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department made of the trend in the take-up rate of  (a) pension credit,  (b) council tax benefit,  (c) disability living allowance,  (d) attendance allowance,  (e) income support,  (f) housing benefit and  (g) jobseeker's allowance when establishing the spending allocation for the Department for Work and Pensions in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11.

Jane Kennedy: The DEL spending allocated to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), for the years 2008-09 to 2010-11, was set out in the 2007 pre-Budget report and comprehensive spending review and covers the cost of administering social security benefits. The Government's forecast on spending on social security benefits is included in AME expenditure and is forecast separately at every pre-Budget report and Budget. The benefit take-up rates are not explicitly forecast for the benefits listed. The forecasts implicitly assume that recent trends in take-up rates continue into the future, which for most benefits means that future take-up rates are broadly constant.

Public Sector: Pay

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate the Office of National Statistics has made of the effect on the overall inflation rate of providing a public sector pay rise of  (a) two per cent.,  (b) three per cent. and  (c) four per cent.

Yvette Cooper: The Office for National Statistics has made no estimate of public sector pay rises on the overall rate of inflation.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value was of each contract awarded to Rackspace by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies in each of the last nine years.

Angela Eagle: No contracts have been awarded to Rackspace by the Treasury or its agencies.

Stamp Duties

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what adjustment he has made to the previous 15 million budget for stamp duty relief for zero-carbon homes as a result of the Budget 2008 announcement that flats and maisonettes will now qualify;
	(2)  what assumptions he has made of the numbers of additional flats and maisonette properties which will qualify for the stamp duty relief for zero-carbon homes as a result of the Budget 2008 announcement that flats and maisonettes will now qualify;
	(3)  what total stamp duty relief has been claimed to date in relation to zero-carbon home purchases, broken down by stamp duty band  (a) 1 per cent.,  (b) 3 per cent. and  (c) 4 per cent.

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many new homes have qualified for zero-rate stamp duty for zero-carbon homes since the discount was introduced;
	(2)  how many of those purchasing a residential property since the zero-rate of stamp duty land tax for zero-carbon homes came into effect have been liable for any stamp duty land tax.

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the Exchequer of his proposal to extend stamp duty zero-carbon tax relief to flats in  (a) real and  (b) cash terms;
	(2)  what the maximum fee is that an assessor can charge to assess whether a dwelling meets the zero-carbon standard; and whether the fee applies to  (a) domestic and  (b) commercial property;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of properties that will take up the proposed stamp duty zero-carbon tax relief for flats in the first full year of the exemption's operation.

Angela Eagle: As stated in the Budget 2007 report, the Exchequer cost of extending stamp duty zero-carbon tax relief to flats is expected to rise to around 15 million in 2011-12. This cost takes into account new flats and maisonettes as well as new houses. The stamp duty land tax relief for new zero-carbon homes only applies to residential property.
	Of those transactions for which a stamp duty land tax certificate was issued between 1 October 2007 and 31 March 2008, 10 transactions claimed the stamp duty land tax relief for new zero-carbon homes. All of these transactions fell in the 1 per cent. tax band. No data currently exists for April.
	450,368 residential transactions were liable for stamp duty land tax between 1 October 2007 and 31 March 2008. No data currently exists for April.
	The tax relief will help kick-start the market for new highly efficient technologies in homes, both for the fabric of the building and in the use of microgeneration, and sets a gold standard for green homes.
	We expect the number of qualifying transactions, including flats and maisonettes, to be initially low in the first few years but to rise as more properties eligible to claim the relief go on the market. For example, in December of last year, the Government announced details of 200 new homes to be built to a zero-carbon standard in Hanham Hall, near Bristol. The media release can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/611694
	The Government are committed to conducting an interim review of the relief in 2010 which will examine the effectiveness of the relief in stimulating the innovation necessary to ensure that all new homes are built to a zero-carbon standard from 2016.
	The level of fees that an energy assessor can charge for assessing whether a dwelling meets the Treasury's stamp duty land tax zero-carbon standard is purely a commercial decision. However, if the energy assessment is carried out by a Government Department, not in competition with commercial suppliers, then in line with Treasury guidelines on managing public money, the charge cannot exceed the full cost of the service provided without parliamentary approval.

Stamp Duties: Tax Yields

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the receipts to the Exchequer from  (a) stamp duty and  (b) stamp duty land tax in each of the next three years.

Angela Eagle: Estimated and projected revenues for total stamp taxes, in 2007-08 and 2008-09, are published in Table C6 of the Budget 2008 report. The breakdown between stamp duty land tax and stamp taxes on share transactions is given in the following table:
	
		
			   billion 
			   2007-08  2008-09 
			 Stamp duty land tax 10.1 9.5 
			 Stamp taxes on shares 4.2 4.0

Stamp Duty Land Tax: Shared Ownership Schemes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the Exchequer of his proposal to amend stamp duty rules to provide that purchases of property in shared ownership pay stamp duty land tax on the final 20 per cent. of the value of the property in  (a) real and  (b) cash terms;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of his proposal to change stamp duty land tax liability for purchases of property in shared ownership;
	(3)  whether his proposal to change stamp duty land tax liability for shared ownership purchases will apply to open market homebuy schemes.

Jane Kennedy: The stamp duty land tax rules for leases resulted in stamp duty land tax being payable on the upfront premium for any transaction in respect of which the annual rent exceeded 600. In Budget 2008 the Government abolished this rule for residential transactions with effect from Budget day.
	As stated in the 2008 Budget report the Exchequer cost of the abolition of this rule for residential property is projected to be 5 million in each of the fiscal years 2008-09 to 2010-11.
	The abolition of this rule will mean that in most cases there will be no stamp duty land tax due upfront for shared ownership schemes. Indeed in the vast majority of cases no stamp duty land tax will be due until the purchaser has acquired at least 80 per cent. of the property. This will support the Government's affordable housing agenda of assisting at least 25,000 households into homeownership through shared ownership and shared equity schemes.
	The open market homebuy scheme is not a shared ownership scheme and will not therefore be affected by our amendment to the stamp duty land tax treatment of shared ownership purchasers. Shared equity schemes, such as the open market homebuy scheme, operate a different structure to shared ownership. Under shared equity schemes the purchaser owns one 100 per cent. of the property from the outset with the help of additional mortgage finance from the Government. The stamp duty land tax treatment of shared equity schemes is no different to the stamp duty land tax treatment of a property bought in the conventional way.

Tax Avoidance: Self-employed

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how HM Revenue and Customs defines bogus self-employment in the construction industry.

Jane Kennedy: There is no statutory definition for tax and national insurance purposes of employment or self employment. Whether a worker is employed or self-employed is determined on the basis of criteria established by judicial decisions. HM Revenue and Customs regards bogus self-employment as describing an engagement where the worker is incorrectly treated by the engager as self-employed.

Tax Avoidance: Self-employed

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of construction workers who are bogus self-employed;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the national insurance and tax revenue foregone to the Treasury as a result of bogus self-employment in the construction industry in each of the last five financial years.

Angela Eagle: HM Revenue and Customs believes that there could be up to 200,000 workers in the construction industry who are incorrectly being treated by their engagers as self-employed. We estimate that the consequent Exchequer loss currently is around 350 million per annum. No estimates of the Exchequer loss for earlier years have been made.
	Information from the Office for National Statistics(1) for the fourth quarter of 2007 estimates that there are around 1,450,000 employees and around 850,000 self-employed working in the construction industry.
	The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, collects no specific data on workers within the construction industry.
	(1)( )From the Labour Force Survey

Taxation: Aviation

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the change in the number of flights into and out of UK airports in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11 as a result of the per plane duty due to come into effect from November 2009;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of likely changes in total carbon dioxide emissions from aviation in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11, as a result of the duty payable per plane due to come into effect from November 2009.

Angela Eagle: At pre-Budget report 2007, the Chancellor announced that air passenger duty would be replaced by a duty payable per plane, rather than per passenger, on 1 November 2009. This will ensure that the duty sends a stronger environmental signal, and is more closely correlated to environmental impacts. A consultation on the design of the new duty was published on 31 January 2008, and is available on the HM Treasury website.
	The public consultation period will close on 24 April 2008. However, the final design of the new dutyand the associated rateswill not be decided until after all of the evidence submitted during the consultation period has been considered and the policy development process is complete. It is therefore not yet possible to estimate the changes in flight numbers as a result of the new duty. Similarly, it is not possible to calculate the changes in carbon dioxide level that will take place as a result of the new duty.

Taxation: Betting

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much taxation revenue was generated from machines in Tote betting shops in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: Due to HM Revenue and Custom's duty to maintain tax payer confidentiality information on tax revenues for individual operators cannot be released.

Taxation: Leisure

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what information his Department holds for tax purposes on the number of leisure centres which do not charge extra for the use of spas and saunas but include their cost within the charge for swimming;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the levying of back-dated VAT charges on leisure centres which allowed free access to spas or saunas to British Olympic competitors and paralympic competitors.

Jane Kennedy: Neither HM Treasury nor HM Revenue and Customs hold such information.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 April 2008,  Official Report, column 972W.

Taxation: Self-assessment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individual self-assessment tax returns  (a) completed online and  (b) received in hard copy were recorded as lost in the last year for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 March 2008,  Official Report, column 370W.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Robert Neill) of 14 March 2008,  Official Report, column 719W, on Valuation Office, what the timetable is for the Agency to decide whether to introduce a records management system.

Jane Kennedy: The Valuation Office Agency has commissioned its IT partner to investigate possible electronic document and records management (EDRM) solutions. Until the proposal in respect of this is received, there is no specified timetable for the Agency to reach a decision.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many householders in England received a visit from a Valuation Office Agency representative in 2007.

Jane Kennedy: Approximately 140,000 dwellings in England received a visit from a member of Valuation Office Agency staff in 2007 in the course of it undertaking its valuation responsibilities for council tax, inheritance tax, capital gains tax, 'right to buy' and other functions requiring the inspection of property.

Valuation Office: Cole Layer Trumble

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2008,  Official Report, column 507W, on Valuation Office: Cole Layer Trumble, what the notional cost is to the public purse for the consultancy services provided by Cole Layer Trumble in the last 12 months; and how much of that cost was attributable to the ASPIRE contract.

Jane Kennedy: The notional cost for the consultancy services provided by Cole Layer Trumble in 2007-08 amounts to 63,271. This cost is attributable to the ASPIRE contract.

Valuation Office: Cole Layer Trumble

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2008,  Official Report, column 507W, on Valuation Office: Cole Layer Trumble, whether the consultancy work undertaken in the last 12 months on automated valuation modelling techniques related to  (a) council tax valuations and  (b) business rate valuations.

Jane Kennedy: Consultancy advice from Cole Layer Trumble related to various technical aspects of automated valuation modelling. It was not directly related to either  (a) council tax valuations or  (b) business rates valuations.

Valuation Office: Geographical Information Systems

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1226W, on Valuation Office: ICT, whether the proposed Geographic Information System will make use of data from  (a) Ordnance Survey,  (b) aerial photography,  (c) satellite photography,  (d) MOSAIC and  (e) ACORN.

Jane Kennedy: The Valuation Office Agency's proposed Geographical Information System will make use of mapping data licensed from Ordnance Survey. The use of aerial photography, satellite photography, MOSAIC or ACORN data is not within the scope of the proposed solution.

Valuation Office: Geographical Information Systems

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) planned cost was and  (b) most recently estimated cost is of the Valuation Office Agency's Geographical Information System.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury on 17 March 2008,  Official Report, column 887W. No further cost estimates have been received.

Valuation Office: Geographical Information Systems

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) original completion date was and  (b) most recent expected completion date is of the Valuation Office Agency's Geographical Information System.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury on 17 March 2008, Official Report, column 887W. No further amendments to the completion dates have been received.

Valuation Office: ICT

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2008,  Official Report, column 508W, on Valuation Office: ICT, what the average geographical size is of each of the 10,000 localities.

Jane Kennedy: There are approximately 10,000 localities covering the whole of England (approximately 50,350 square miles). Therefore the approximate average geographical size of a locality is 5.04 square miles.

Valuation Office: ICT

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) expected cost,  (b) function and  (c) expected completion date is of the Valuation Office Agency's electronic communications project.

Jane Kennedy: The VOA does not have an electronic communications project.

Valuation Office: Measuring Instruments

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) tape measures and  (b) laser measuring devices the Valuation Office Agency has purchased in the last 24 months; and at what cost in each case.

Jane Kennedy: The Valuation Office Agency undertakes various types of valuation and surveying work on behalf of a number of public sector clients for a wide range of purposes and requires the appropriate professional equipment to perform these roles effectively.
	The Agency purchases its surveying equipment from a designated supplier. The total annual spend in the last two financial years is as follows:
	2006-07: 16,065
	2007-08: 209,171
	The nature of the equipment and the time it was purchased lead to annual variations in expenditure.
	It is not possible to break these figures down into individual category purchases, except at disproportionate cost.

Valuation Office: Video Recordings

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any internal videos have been produced or updated by the Valuation Office Agency since 8 January.

Jane Kennedy: No videos have been updated; one video for internal use has been produced since 8 January 2008.

Valuation Office: Video Recordings

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1018W, and 8 January 2008,  Official Report, column 509W, on Valuation Office: video recordings, if he will place copies of the 23 other internal staff videos in the Library.

Jane Kennedy: The internal videos are both aimed at, and feature, VOA staff. Release of the videos would be considered unfair within the first data protection principle, as staff would have had a reasonable expectation that they were contributing to a video only for internal VOA use. The process of obtaining permissions and/or making necessary redactions could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Valuation: Conservatories

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many domestic properties in England are classified with a dwellinghouse code of  (a) Conservatory Type: D,  (b) Conservatory Type: S,  (c) Conservatory Type: G and  (d) Conservatory Type: U, according to figures held by the Valuation Office Agency.

Jane Kennedy: As at 2 April 2008 the number of domestic dwellings in England for which the Valuation Office Agency has assigned these dwellinghouse codes are  (a) 106,497,  (b) 43,576,  (c) 62,469 and  (d) 555,800.

VAT Exemptions

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2008,  Official Report, column 371W, on VAT exemptions, what assessment he has made of the effects of VAT exemption for supplies of certain services linked to sport by not-for-profit organisations on competition in the market for local authority leisure management, as defined under Article 133(d) of the EC Principal VAT Directive.

Jane Kennedy: Officials from HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs have met with representatives of private sector leisure providers to discuss the current VAT exemption for supplies relating to sport and physical education, and its impact on competition. Officials are also in regular discussion with local authority representatives on a range of VAT issues. Like all taxes, this VAT exemption is kept under review against the Government's broader objectives, which include increasing participation in sport.

Voluntary Work

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, column 50W, on voluntary pay, what the organisations are for which members of his Department have volunteered while on special leave.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury actively promotes employee volunteering and the 2007 Treasury staff survey reported that 30 per cent. of current Treasury staff volunteer. However the detailed information sought by the hon. Member is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Welfare Tax Credits: Telephone Services

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the claimants' tax hotline returning calls to customers; and if he will place guidance issued to helpline operatives in the Library.

Jane Kennedy: The tax credit helpline along with other HMRC Contact Centre services are designed to deal primarily with a large number of incoming telephone calls. HMRC contact centres expect to handle around 59 million phone calls this year. HMRC do not have a formal policy to cover each and every circumstance when they may need to return calls to customers.

Welfare Tax Credits: Telephone Services

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on running the  (a) claimants' and  (b) hon. Members' tax credit helpline in each year since 2003, broken down by (i) staffing budget and pensions contributions, (ii) administration, (iii) facilities, (iv) training and (v) other.

Jane Kennedy: The staffing cost for the tax credit helpline is estimated to be 93.5 million for 2006-07. The full year figures for 2007-08 are not yet available. Figures for earlier years are not available.
	The other data are not available in the format requested.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the budget is for the proposed renovations and refurbishment of the Downing Street complex in 2008-09.

Tom Watson: Information on the cost of renovations and refurbishment of the Downing street complex in 2008-09 will only be available when the Department's resource accounts for that year are fully audited and laid before Parliament.

Admiralty House: Art Works

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which works of art from the Government Art Collection are located in each of the official ministerial residences in Admiralty House; and what the title and artist of each is.

Tom Watson: A list of artworks located in the ministerial residences in Admiralty House has been placed in the Library.

Admiralty House: Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  whether occupants of ministerial residences in Admiralty House are liable for damage to the material condition of the property they occupy arising from their use of it; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the tenancy agreement relating to the use of ministerial residences in Admiralty House.

Tom Watson: Official residences are assigned to Ministers by the Prime Minister either on grounds of security or in order to allow them to perform better their official duties. Rules on the use of official residences are set out in the 'Ministerial Code'. There are no formal tenancy agreements in respect of the use of official residences. The liability for any damage to any of the residences would depend on the circumstances.

Admiralty House: Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2008,  Official Report, column 246W, on Admiralty House, how many bathrooms each of the three official ministerial residences in Admiralty House has.

Tom Watson: One flat has one bathroom and the other two have two bathrooms.

Census: BSL

Jim Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will consider the merits of identifying users of British sign language as part of the next census.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will consider the merits of identifying users of British Sign Language (BSL) as part of the next Census. (200177)
	Consultation with users on their requirements for information from the 2011 Census has identified a demand for a language question to provide information to improve resource allocation at the national and local level and to inform service provision of, for example, the need for translation and interpreter services. There was also some demand expressed for information on the use of specific languages, including BSL. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has subsequently tested a number of variants of a language question, with a view to developing a concise question which is easily understood by respondents and gives reliable results. ONS are currently testing a question on main language used, including BSL through a write-in facility.
	A White Paper setting out the proposals for the 2011 Census is scheduled to be published at the end of 2008. However it will not be possible to confirm what questions and response categories are to be included in the 2011 Census until the consultation and question testing programme is complete and formal approval is given by Parliament in 2010.

Central Office of Information: Expenditure

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the expenditure of the Central Office of Information on Government marketing, advertising and public relations was in each year since 1996-97.

Tom Watson: The Central Office of Information expenditure for the years requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   million  at outturn prices 
			  Activity  1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Advertising: media spend 69.4 59.0 105.4 113.5 161.9 141.6 134.8 167.6 165.4 154.6 135.9 
			 Advertising: non media spend 30.5 21.0 11.1 10.7 19.5 13.3 18.8 
			 Direct and relationship marketing 11.5 8.5 17.0 26.3 24.2 25.0 29.3 36.9 35.9 27.2 29.9 
			 Events 1.6 3.6 5.3 4.0 4.8 9.1 6.4 6.6 9.7 7.5 10.9 
			 Broadcast 3.5 3.8 2.7 2.6 2.3 2.0 15.9 14.4 11.3 12.0 13.7 
			 Publications 21.9 21.4 22.0 25.7 29.6 29.2 26.3 26.6 34.3 36.5 32.1 
			 Digital media   4.3 3.0 11.1 12.1 22.5 
			 Research 3.0 3.6 4.9 7.1 10.1 10.8 13.1 15.9 13.2 17.7 17.4 
			 Public relations and sponsorship 0.3 1.1 4.3 8.8 10.5 9.1 10.3 15.4 19.1 23.7 22.7 
			 Strategic consultancy 3.2 3.7 4.4 2.2 6.6 9.9 9.0 6.0 7.9 7.2 9.7 
			 Government news network 5.3 6.0 7.4 9.7 12.1 9.7 9.3 10.3 10.2 9.7 9.3 
			 Other 6.22.8 9.8 (2.1) 4.5 6.2 0.8 1.1 
			 Directgov   13.5 
			 Total 125.9 110.7 173.4 199.9 295.4 277.2 267.7 317.9 343.8 322.3 337.5

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the average  (a) hourly and  (b) annual pay of (i) male and (ii) female (A) childcarers in daycare settings and (B) childminders in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the average  (a) hourly and  (b) annual pay of (i) male and (ii) female childcare assistants in each year since 1997;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the average annual salary of  (a) childcarers in daycare settings and  (b) childminders qualified to level 6 in each year since 1997.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking what the average (a) hourly and (b) annual pay of (i) male and (ii) female (A) childcarers in daycare settings and (B) childminders was in each year since 1997; what the average (a) hourly and (b) annual pay of (i) male and (ii) female childcare assistants was in each year since 1997; and what the average annual salary of (a) childcarers in daycare settings and (b) childminders qualified to level 6 was in each year since 1997. (199893, 199894, 199899).
	The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is carried out in April each year and is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Under the Standard Occupation Classification 2000 (SOC), childcarers in day care settings, childminders and childcare assistants are all classified to the same category, which is Childminders and Related Occupations, occupation code 6122. Subdivision beyond this is not possible in ASHE.
	Estimates of weekly earnings for employees by gender and SOC are available from ASHE for employees on adult rates of pay, whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence, from 1997. Annual earnings estimates are available for employees on adult rates of pay, who have been in the same job for more than a year, from 1999. ASHE results are published on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ashe
	ASHE does not collect information on employee qualifications. This information is available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). However, the LFS sample size for childminders qualified to level 6 is too small to provide estimates.

Civil Servants

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a copy of the job specification and functions of Downing Street's  (a) Director of Communications,  (b) Chief of Strategy,  (c) Director of Political Strategy and  (d) Head of the Strategic Communications Unit.

Tom Watson: Civil servants are appointed under the terms and conditions set out in the Civil Service Management Code. Special advisers are appointed under the terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract and Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

Civil Servants

Michael Ancram: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many civil servants working in his Department are related to other civil servants working in the his Department.

Tom Watson: This information is not held centrally.

Databases

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what databases are  (a) owned and  (b) maintained by (i) the Cabinet Office and (ii) its agencies.

Tom Watson: The information for the Cabinet Office is as follows:
	
		
			  Cabinet Office databases  Owned  Maintained 
			 HRHuman Resources Yes Yes 
			 CORASResource Accounting Yes Yes 
			 e-RmElectronic Records Management Yes Yes 
			 CMSCase Management System Yes Yes 
			 EPCISEmergency Planning College Information System Yes Yes 
			 Fast Stream RecruitmentGraduate Recruitment Yes No 
			 Cabinet Committee PapersManagement and Distribution of Cabinet Committee Papers Yes Yes 
			 E-PayfactPayroll Administration Yes No 
			 Cross Government ExerciseCrisis Management Yes Yes 
			 Government Communications NetworkMember Database Yes No 
			 Government IT ProfessionMember Database Yes No 
			 Central Applications RepositoryCivil Service Pensions Administration Yes No 
		
	
	This list does not include all locally-based data collections that sit across departmental networks, the collation of which would incur disproportionate costs.

Departmental Publications

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library an electronic copy of the Cabinet Office staff handbook.

Tom Watson: My Department no longer publishes a staff handbook. The terms and conditions of service that apply to all Cabinet Office employees are readily available to them electronically on the Cabinet Office intranet. The text on the intranet is updated periodically but could only be reproduced at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many working days were lost by his Department due to stress-related illness in each of the last 24 months.

Phil Hope: The most recent published absence data for the Cabinet Office is available for the 12 months ending 31 March 2007, in the Analysis of Cabinet Office Statistics. This is available on the Civil Service Statistics website at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp
	The number of stress-related working days lost for each of the last 24 months could only be reproduced at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many days sick leave were taken on average by staff in his Department in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: The average number of working days lost per person is only available from 2004 and is published on the civil service website at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp

Departmental Visits Abroad

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the  (a) destination and  (b) purpose was of each overseas visit undertaken by staff in the Cabinet Office in the last 12 months.

Phil Hope: The destination and purpose of each overseas visit undertaken by staff in the Cabinet Office over the last 12 months is not held centrally and is therefore available only at disproportionate cost.
	All overseas trips undertaken by Cabinet Office staff are for official business reasons only and made in accordance in the Department's official travel policy.

Departmental Working Hours

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many hours  (a) in total and  (b) on average per employee were worked by civil servants in his Department in the last year for which records are available.

Tom Watson: Most full-time Cabinet Office employees work 41 conditioned hours per week, including five hours paid meal breaks. The Department also offers employees alternative working patterns under part-time, shift, flexible working or work-life balance policies.
	Information on the total and average hours worked by Cabinet Office employees is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Disclosure of Information

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance he has sent to Government Departments on disclosing the dates and locations of meetings held by Ministers.

Edward Miliband: It is for individual Departments to decide on the disclosure of details of official meetings taking account of the requirements of the ministerial code, the civil service code, Cabinet Office guidance on drafting answers to parliamentary questions and relevant legislation.
	It is long established practice under successive governments that information relating to internal discussions and activities is not normally disclosed.

Employment: Inverness

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many  (a) employed and  (b) unemployed people there were in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency in each year since 1997.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls with the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 April 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question asking how many  (a) employed and  (b) unemployed people there were in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency in each year since 1997. (200089)
	The Office for national Statistics compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. However, data prior to the 12 month period ending December 2004 are not available for this geography due to the redrawing of Scottish parliamentary constituencies in 2005.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of people in employment and the number of unemployed, aged 16 and over resident in the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency for each of the last three years. Estimates for the 12 months ending September 2007 have also been provided as being the latest data available.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	In order to produce estimates for small geographical areas, APS estimates are provided based on survey microdata. These are consistent with the UK population estimates published in February and March 2003, whereas the regional and national estimates published in the Labour Market Statistics First Release are based on more up-to-date population figures, so the two are not directly comparable.
	
		
			  Table 1: Employment and unemployed in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  In employment( 1)  Unemployed( 1) 
			 December 2004 43 2 
			 December 2005 42 2 
			 December 2006 43 1 
			 December 2007 43 1 
			 (1) Persons aged 16+

Internet

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff are employed by 10 Downing Street in relation to electronic, website and internet communications; and how many were employed on 26 June 2007.

Tom Watson: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 28 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1797W.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the value was of each contract awarded by the  (a) Cabinet Office and  (b) Prime Minister's office to Karian and Box since 1997.

Phil Hope: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested is not held centrally and is therefore available only at disproportionate cost.

Life Expectancy

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate has been made of average life expectancy in  (a) Scotland and  (b) England.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question asking what estimate has been made of average life expectancy in (a) Scotland and (b) England. (199970)
	The table below shows life expectancies at birth for males and females for the countries requested. These are 'period' expectation of life figures, which are based on the mortality rates experienced in the years 2004 to 2006 by age and gender in the respective country and give the average number of years people would live from birth if they experienced those mortality rates throughout their lifetimes.
	
		
			  Period expectation of life, 2004 to 2006 
			   Males  Females 
			 Scotland 74.6 79.6 
			 England 77.2 81.5 
			 Source:  Interim Life Tables 2004-06, http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk:=14459 
		
	
	'Cohort' life expectancy figures, which allow for projected changes in mortality in later years, are available from the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk:=15098

Migration: Statistics

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions the Office for National Statistics had with Government departments before the Office's revised methodology for allocating international migrants to regions and local authority areas was published.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what discussions the Office for National Statistics had with Government departments before the Office's revised methodology for allocating international migrants to regions and local authority areas was published. (199300).
	Over a significant period of time prior to implementation, ONS officials had regular discussions with the key Departmental users of population and migration statistics, specifically:
	The Department for Communities and Local Government, given their role with local grant funding;
	The Department of Health, including representation on the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the Advisory Committee for Resource Allocation (ACRA); and
	The devolved administrations.
	Government departments and other users were kept informed at each stage in the development and implementation of the improved methodology. Papers were submitted for discussion at the regular meetings held with the population sub-group of Central and Local Information Partnership (CLIP). Membership of CLIP includes representatives from Government departments, as well as from local government. The proposed new methodology was first discussed by CLIP in April 2006 prior to the announcement, in August 2006, of plans to implement the revised methods. The publication of indicative figures and explanatory papers followed in April 2007. Presentations of the methods were made at conferences and seminars, in particular at the British Society of Population Studies.

Migration: Statistics

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when estimates for short-term migration will be published for each local authority area.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking when estimates for short-term migration will be published for each local authority area. (199304)
	An initial report on the outcome of work to explore the feasibility of producing such estimates is planned for late 2008. If this concludes that a suitable methodology can be developed using existing sources, which is at this point still uncertain, it is anticipated that estimates for short-term migration for local authorities could be published in 2009.

Migration: Statistics

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which recommendations of the Inter-departmental Task Force on Migration Statistics  (a) have and  (b) have not been implemented since the publication of its report.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Let ter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking which recommendations of the Inter-Departmental Task Force on Migration Statistics have been implemented. (199855)
	Following the release of the Migration Task Force report ONS made a bid for funding of new work to implement the recommendations made. It was always intended that this would be necessary as the Task Force identified further work over and above that which ONS could have achieved on its own.
	In 2007 ONS implemented some improvements to existing population estimates (mainly involving the distribution of international migration between local areas). The future work programme started on 1 April 2008.
	In practice ONS has made progress where possible. In particular:
	An interim Port Survey Review report was published in October 2007 identifying a series of short-term improvements that will be implemented in 2008. In addition, more emigrants are being sampled in the International Passenger Survey.
	ONS published experimental statistics on short term migration at the end of 2007 and is researching the feasibility of producing these at local level.
	A step towards more coherent reporting of migration statistics was made in February when the Home Office and ONS published outputs at the same time as a more joined-up package. This approach will be developed throughout 2008.
	ONS has been working closely with other government departments including DWP and DCSF to explore what administrative data is available and how it might be used to improve migration statistics. A paper was published in late 2007. ONS is also looking at how data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency might be used to improve internal migration estimates at student ages.
	ONS and Home Office are working together to define the statistical requirements of the new e-Borders system, gathering data on people as they enter or leave the UK.
	ONS published in late 2007 indicators of volumes of migration into and out of local areas.

Migration: Statistics

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the reliability of the short-term migration statistical series produced by the Office for National Statistics; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what assessment has been made of the reliability of the short-term migration statistical series. (199856)
	Short-term migration estimates were published for the first time in October 2007, together with associated standard errors which provide an indication of how much a sample estimate might vary from the true value because of random effects.
	The estimates are not yet classified as National Statistics as they are still under development. At the time of publishing, ONS set out the future pathway to achieving the higher quality standards of National Statistics status. The first stage of this work is to carry out a reconciliation exercise between combined estimates of long and short-term migration and counts of international immigrants from administrative sources. Publication of this first step is planned for May 2008.

Migration: Statistics

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the funding required to implement the recommendations made by the inter-departmental task force on migration statistics; what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues over such funding; and how much has been allocated to implement these recommendations in each of the next three years.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, 21 April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question o the funding required to implement the recommendations made by the inter-departmental taskforce on migration statistics and discussions that have been held with ministerial colleagues. (199857)
	ONS is currently in the final stages of agreeing the work programme for improving migration statistics. The initial assessment ONS made of the funding required to implement the migration task force recommendations is estimated to be 48 million over five years in full implementation were to be achieved. This estimate is made up of work needed in other government departments as well as the work ONS would do.
	ONS has had discussions with departmental colleagues over the work programme and the associated funding requirements, and those colleagues have engaged their Ministers. The National Statistician has also engaged directly with John Healey and Liam Byrne on this matter but no formal ministerial meeting has been held at this state.
	The statistical work programme for ONS as a whole, which will cover the first four years of migration statistics improvements, is being finalised and will be the details of the migration statistics improvement programme.

Official Residences: Repairs and Maintenance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1307W, on official residences: repairs and maintenance, whether any  (a) cleaning,  (b) minor works and  (c) refurbishment have been undertaken on the Prime Minister's personal residence in Downing Street following the departure of the previous Prime Minister.

Phil Hope: The costs of refurbishment of the Prime Minister's official residence and the Downing Street complex are given on a regular basis following the end of the financial year.

Overseas Students

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of migrants to the UK entered the country to study at a UK educational institution in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what proportion of migrants to the UK entered the country to study at a UK institution in the latest period for which figures are available. (199658)
	The latest available estimates of Total International Migration (TIM) are for the 2006 calendar year. In 2006 27 per cent. of migrants cited formal study as their main reason for migration to the UK. This percentage excludes those migrants with another main reason for migration, such as accompanying or joining family members, but who may also undertake study in the UK.

Pensioners

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the average age is of a pensioner in  (a) Scotland and  (b) England.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question on what the average age is of a pensioner in (a) Scotland and (b) England. (199968)
	The median age of the population of pensionable age in both Scotland and England is 72 years. These data are based on mid-2006 population estimates which are the latest available.

Pensioners

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many pensioners there were in  (a) Scotland and  (b) England at the latest date for which figures are available; and what percentage of the total population they represented.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls with the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question regarding how many pensioners there were in  (a) Scotland and  (b) England at the latest date for which figures are available, and what they represented as a percentage of the total population. (199969).
	The following table shows the data you have requested. The latest population estimates available are for mid-2006.
	
		
			   2006 Mid-year estimate of pensionable age resident population 
			   Country   Persons of pensionable age (thousand)   Percentage of total population 
			 England 9,462 19 
			 Scotland 983 19 
			   Sources:  Office for National Statistics and General Register Office for Scotland.

Political Office

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was contributed from the public purse towards the cost of Downing Street Political Office staff that are part funded by the Labour Party, in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Tom Watson: I refer the hon. Member for Horsham to the answer the Prime Minister gave on 22 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1789W.

Psychology

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which chartered psychologists have been hired by his Department in the last 24 months; at what cost; and for what purpose.

Tom Watson: Information on whether individual management units have used chartered psychologists is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Public Participation

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1307W, on public participation: incentives, what the criteria by which Ipsos MORI recruited participants to attend; what methodology they used to ensure a group of people from all walks of life were selected; and whether membership of a political party was one of the criteria used to select or not select individuals;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1344W, on public participation: incentives, what steps were taken to determine whether participants in the deliberative forum had party political affiliations.

Tom Watson: Ipsos MORI managed the recruitment process for the national workshop and selected a group of people by face to face interviews from across the UK and all walks of life to be reflective of the population to attend. Ipsos MORI used a number of quotas to ensure that the recruitment was a good reflection of the general public as a whole, including key demographic questions on age, gender, socio-economic group, etc. They also asked attitudinal questions, such as views on whether the Governments policies are likely to improve public services or not and questions on political activism, including party membership, to ensure people with a good range of views and people with different levels of political activism attended the event.

Public Participation

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many individuals have responded to his Department's Have Your Say consultation.

Tom Watson: The Crime and Communities review's Call for Evidence has by the end of March 2008, attracted 944 responses to its questionnaire, and in addition, 606 community activists have also attended evidence gathering events across the country. The deadline for the end of the evidence gathering process is the 11 April 2008.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the value was of each contract awarded by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies to Rackspace in the last year for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not held centrally and is therefore available only at disproportionate cost.

Security: Greater London

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2846W, on security: Greater London, whether projects within the Government Security Zone include implementation of recommendations made by Project George.

Tom Watson: The GSZ Programme is about the physical security of Government buildings within the zone. The Cabinet Office took into account the GSZ when planning and implementing refurbishment works to its Whitehall buildings.

Staff: 10 Downing Street

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people working in  (a) Number 10 Downing Street and  (b) the Cabinet Office are not employed by the Civil Service.

Phil Hope: The Prime Minister's Office forms part of the Cabinet Office.
	From latest available figures as at 31 December 2007, there were 87 members of staff (FTE) working in the Cabinet Office who are not employed by the civil service. This figure includes staff seconded in from outside the civil service, fee-paid staff, agency staff and consultants but excludes service contractors.

Suicide: South Yorkshire

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people  (a) under and  (b) over 21 years of age committed suicide in (i) Barnsley, (ii) Doncaster and (iii) South Yorkshire in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 April 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people (a) under and (b) over 21 years of age committed suicide in (i) Barnsley, (ii) Doncaster and (iii) South Yorkshire in each of the last five years for which figures are available. (199354)
	The table attached provides the number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death for persons aged (a) under 21 and (b) 21 years and over, in (i) Barnsley metropolitan district, (ii) Doncaster metropolitan district and (iii) South Yorkshire county, for 2002 to 2006 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1: number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death,( 1)  Barnsley metropolitan district, Doncaster metropolitan district and South Yorkshire county,( 2)  by age group( 3) , 2002-2006( 4) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			  Area  Age  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barnsley 15 to 20 2 0 1 1 0 
			  21 and over 13 21 15 31 10 
			  Total 15 21 16 32 10 
			
			 Doncaster 15 to 20 1 3 1 2 2 
			  21 and over 22 28 26 25 24 
			  Total 23 31 27 27 26 
			
			 South Yorkshire 15 to 20 5 5 3 3 4 
			  21 and over 98 111 96 114 95 
			  Total 103 116 99 117 99 
			 (1) Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34, excluding Y33.9 (where the coroner's verdict was pending). (2) Based on boundaries as of 2008. (3) Suicide and undetermined intent deaths have not been included for children under the age of 15 years. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Unemployment: Inverness

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many workless households in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency there were in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many children were living in workless households in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency in each year since 1997;

Edward Miliband: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 21 April 2008:
	. The second asks how many children were living in workless households in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency in each year since 1997 [200118].
	Estimates are provided from the labour Force Survey (LFS). There is currently no annual household dataset, so the figures are given for the April-June quarter to be consistent with those published in the 'Work and worklessness among household first Release' (see web link http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/work0807.pdf). The boundaries for parliamentary constituencies in Scotland were redrawn in 2005, and data is only available for 2006 and 2007 using the LFS household datasets.
	There were approximately 1,000 workless households in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency in 2006 and 2007. Estimates for the number of children (aged under 16) living in these workless households are disclosive and cannot be released under confidentiality rules.
	A workless household is a household that includes at least one person of working-age (a woman aged 16 to 59 or a man aged 16 to 64) where no one aged 16 or over is in employment.
	The LFS is a sample survey covering over 52,000 households in the United Kingdom in each three month period. As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

United Kingdom Statistics Authority: Finance

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how the budget of the UK Statistics Authority is determined.

Phil Hope: In the 2007 Budget the Government announced a funding settlement of 1.2 billion over five years for the new Statistics Authority. The settlement applies to the years 2007-08 to 2011-12, providing planning and funding certainty for the development of the new Authority and the effective discharge of its remit from the establishment of the new system on 1 April 2008.
	In order to reinforce the new Statistics Authority's statutory independence, the Government set funding for the Authority outside the normal Government spending review process.
	Within this funding settlement, it will be for the Authority to decide on spending allocations for the Authority's functions, the census, new statistical initiatives and the Office for National Statistics.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Cabinet Office paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Phil Hope: The Cabinet Office paid to Zurich Financial Services the following amounts:
	
		
			  Financial year   
			 1999-2000 4,112.50 
			 2000-01 5,062.71 
			 Total 9,175.21 
		
	
	Information prior to 1999-2000 is not held. There have been no payments since 2000-01. Details of the purpose of the payments can be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Arms Trade

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of small arms which were imported into the UK and immediately re-exported in each of the last three years; and what assessment he has made of the  (a) destination and  (b) end use of such arms.

Meg Munn: Cumulative records of small arms imported and immediately re-exported are not maintained. It is therefore not possible to say how many small arms entered the UK and were then immediately re-exported. Information on licences issued for the export of small arms has been published in the Government's quarterly and annual reports on strategic export controls, which can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/publications/publications/annual-reports/export-controls.
	Licenses for arms exports are considered on a case by case basis and rigorously assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licencing Criteria (The Code of Conduct). This takes into account conditions and circumstances in the country of destination and the end use of such arms.
	There is a limited number of exemptions or variations to this rule. For example, in the case of export of small arms by an individual when Part IV, Article 11 (8) or (9) of the Export of Goods, Transfer of Technology and Provision of Technical Assistance (Control) Order 2003, as amended, applies. In such cases an export licence may not be required if the criteria set out in the order can be met. Similarly, an individual could make use of the Open General Export Licence (Accompanied Personal Effects: Sporting Firearms) if they meet the criteria set out in that licence. In cases where the criteria for these exemptions are not met an export licence, assessed against The Code of Conduct as described above, will be required.

Ballistic Missile Defence

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates and with whom in the US Administration he has discussed talks between Russia and the US on deployment of the US Ballistic Missile Defence programme.

David Miliband: The UK continues to discuss ballistic missile defence issues with the US Administration, on a number of levels. It is not the practice of the Government to make public details of all discussions with foreign governments. We are, however, kept well informed of discussions between the US and Russia on the deployment of US missile defence assets and we welcome the continued constructive engagement by both sides in the debate.

Bombs

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for  (a) UK representation and  (b) a negotiating mandate at the forthcoming conference on an international treaty on cluster munitions in Dublin in April 2008; what the UK's policy is on (i) cluster munitions and (ii) a treaty reducing or banning their deployment; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: At the Dublin Diplomatic Conference (19-30 May) John Duncan, our Ambassador for Multilateral Arms Control and Disarmament and Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, will lead the UK delegation, which will include Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ministry of Defence and Department for International Development officials.
	The Government recognises the humanitarian concerns raised by cluster munitions. Our policy is therefore to work to achieve legally binding instruments within both the Oslo Process and the UN framework, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, that will prohibit the use, production and stockpiling of those cluster munitions which cause unacceptable harm to civilians. The mandate of the UK delegation in Dublin will reflect that objective. We want a strong treaty that will have the widest possible support from the start, particularly from the major users and producers, and thereby achieve the greatest practical humanitarian effect.

China: Human Rights

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many individual cases of human rights abuses by China he raised with his Chinese counterpart in each of the last five years.

Meg Munn: We regularly raise individual cases of human rights abuses with the Chinese government, both bilaterally and through the EU. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised three priority cases with the Chinese Foreign Minister during his visit to China in February. We also handed over a list of 42 individual cases of concern at the most recent round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, which took place in Beijing just prior to this visit, at the end of January. We are unable to detail how many individual cases my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has raised over the last five years without incurring disproportionate cost.

China: Human Rights

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions he has raised the issue of human rights abuses with his Chinese counterpart in the last five years.

Meg Munn: We regularly raise human rights concerns with the Chinese Government. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has been in regular contact with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi over the last two weeks to register concern for the situation in Tibet. He also raised a number of issues, including ratification of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights and media freedom, with the Chinese Foreign Minister during his visit to China in February 2008. We are unable to detail how many times my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has raised human rights concerns with Chinese counterparts over the last five years without incurring disproportionate cost.

China: Human Rights

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in China.

Meg Munn: We regularly monitor the human rights situation in China. We use the annual UK-China Human Rights Dialogue to discuss our priority concerns in detail and to gain up to date information, including on individual cases. We also regularly raise our concerns and request information from the Chinese government both bilaterally and through the EU. Our assessment of China's human rights record for 2007 is included in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Annual Human Rights Report, published on 25 March 2008, available on the FCO website at:
	www.fco.gov.uk

China: Olympic Games

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on a boycott of  (a) all and  (b) part of the Olympic Games in 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are aware of calls to boycott the 2008 Olympic Games. The Government do not support a boycott of any part of the Olympics. We shall continue working with China to make the Olympics a success.

China: Olympic Games

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take in respect of the Beijing Olympic Games in the event of worsening political violence in China.

Meg Munn: holding answer 3 April 2008
	We monitor political developments in China closely, and we will continue to make clear to the Chinese government where we have concerns, as we have done in respect of recent violence in Tibet. We have made clear, however, that we do not support a boycott of any part of the 2008 Olympics. We are determined to continue working with China to make the Olympics a success, as part of China's re-engagement with the world.

Climate Change

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on climate change; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular discussions with his US counterpart on a range of issues, including on climate change, as do ministerial and policy colleagues. Tackling climate change is key to global security and prosperity and that is why we have made promoting a high growth, low carbon economy one of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's four priorities. We will continue to hold regular discussions with the US, and with other international partners, to deliver an ambitious and fair post-2012 deal at the UN conference in Copenhagen in 2009.

Corruption

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what meetings his Department has held with officials of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's anti-corruption working group in the last three years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what progress has been made in implementing the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development anti-bribery convention in the UK; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what documents the Government has  (a) provided and  (b) been asked to provide to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development working group on bribery; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is a founder signatory of the 1997 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Convention on Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (OECD Anti-Bribery Convention) which we ratified in 1998one of the first member countries to do so. My noble Friend the Advocate-General for Scotland, Lord Davidson of Glen Clova, represented the UK at the OECD High Level Conference to mark the 10th anniversary of OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in Rome in November 2007. The Working Group recognised in their Phase 1 bis review that the UK's laws comply with the requirements of the Convention. We continue to work closely with the OECD on improving our anti-bribery procedures. The importance that the UK attaches to this area is reflected in my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's appointment of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform as the Government anti-corruption champion and the range of measures proposed in the 2007 and 2008 anti-corruption action plans.
	The OECD Working Group on Bribery is the body responsible for monitoring compliance with the convention. It operates through an established peer review process intended to raise standards across the Group's membership. The Group meets formally in Paris four times a year. The UK has been represented on every occasion by Government officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, home departments and UK law enforcement agencies, including the Attorney-General's Office, city of London police, Crown Prosecution Service, Department for Business, Enterprise, and Regulatory Reform, Ministry of Justice, and the Serious Fraud Office. There are, of course, frequent ad hoc meetings between OECD and member country officials, including the UK.
	We shall continue to play a full and active part in the group and in its peer review procedures. Preparation for such reviews usually entails the provision of supporting written material such as laws, regulations and judicial decisions. To ensure the OECD is kept fully abreast of developments, it is also open for member countries to provide these on their own initiative in the interim. The UK has, for example, recently provided the OECD with core documents submitted to the Judicial Review by the Serious Fraud Office, the Law Commission Consultation Paper Reforming Bribery and the Constitutional Renewal White Paper and draft Bill.

Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department contributes  (a) direct funding,  (b) informal support and  (c) personnel to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The UK does not directly fund the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). PACE is funded from the Council of Europe ordinary budget, to which the UK contributed 18 million in 2008to equal to the contributions of the other major contributors: France, Germany, Russia and Italy.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office informally supports the UK Parliamentary Delegation to PACE through our staff at the UK Delegation in Strasbourg.
	We do not contribute personnel to PACE.

Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a mechanism exists to enable the Government to respond formally to resolutions passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; what recent representations he has received about the issue; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The Government may choose to respond formally to resolutions passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe when they are part of a recommendation or opinion addressed to the Committee of Ministers. The Committee of Ministers should reply within six months. The Rules of Procedure and the Statute of the Assembly are available at:
	http://assembly.coe.intMain.asp?link=/RulesofProcedure/PACERuleIndex_E.asp.
	The Government are unaware of any recent representations on this issue.

Departmental Publications

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance is issued to members of his Department on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The Civil Service Code, the Civil Service Management Code and Propriety Guidance on Government Communications, all provide guidance to staff on the publication of material relating to their official duties. Copies of each of these are in the Libraries of the House. They are also available on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Departmental Video Conferencing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set a target to increase the use of video-conferencing by his Department to reduce the need to travel to meetings.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) recognises the advantages of video-conferencing and had a target to increase usage, for staff in the UK, by 10 per cent. by 31 March 2008. Between September 2007 and March 2008, usage on the main video-conferencing network increased by 51 per cent. Figures are not available for usage before then, or for the other (smaller) video-conferencing network. The target for 2008-09 is still to be finalised but it will encourage further usage, including by staff overseas.
	The FCO continues to expand the availability of video conferencing and currently has over 140 suites in its UK offices and posts.

Diego Garcia: Rendition

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Statement of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, column 547, on terrorist suspects (renditions), whether UK officials met either of the people rendered through Diego Garcia in 2002.

Kim Howells: We have no evidence to suggest that the two individuals concerned met UK officials while on Diego Garcia.

Diego Garcia: Rendition

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Statement of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, column 547, on terrorist suspects (renditions), if he will instigate a public inquiry into the use of Diego Garcia by the US for rendition purposes.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has written to US Secretary of State Rice, further to his statement to the House on 21 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 547-48, to request clarification on a number of specific issues raised by the new information passed to us on 15 February regarding two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia in 2002. In advance of concluding this work, it would be inappropriate to speculate on whether a more formal inquiry is necessary. Our officials continue to work with their US counterparts on the details and implications of the new information.

Diego Garcia: Rendition

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Statement of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, column 547, on terrorist suspects (renditions), who the two men were who were rendered through Diego Garcia in 2002.

Kim Howells: As set out in my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 21 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 547-48, neither of these two individuals was a British national or a British resident. One is currently detained at Guantanamo Bay and the other has been released. However, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no further information to disclose regarding these two individuals.

Diego Garcia: Rendition

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Statement of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, column 547, on terrorist suspects (renditions), when the two men rendered through Diego Garcia in 2002  (a) arrived on and  (b) were transported off the island.

Kim Howells: The two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia referred to in my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's statement of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 547-48, took place in January and September 2002 respectively. In both cases a US plane with a single detainee on board arrived and refuelled at the US facility in Diego Garcia before departing. The detainees did not leave the plane.

Diego Garcia: Rendition

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Statement of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, column 547, on terrorist suspects (renditions), 
	(1)  where the two men rendered through Diego Garcia were held prior to their transfer from Diego Garcia; and whether either of them were held on the island itself or on ships close to Diego Garcia;
	(2)  where the two men rendered through Diego Garcia were taken having been transferred through Diego Garcia; and what steps he has taken since their rendition to assess the treatment of the men whilst in custody of the US or another state.

Kim Howells: Our officials continue to work with their US counterparts on the details and implications of the new information passed to us on 15 February regarding two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia in 2002. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has written to US Secretary of State Rice, further to his statement to the House on 21 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 547-48, to request clarification on a number of specific issues. While my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no further information that he is able to disclose regarding these two individuals, the US has assured us that no detainees have been held at Diego Garcia.

Europe: Finance

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on gender responsive budgeting.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 4 March 2008
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with EU counterparts on the specific issue of gender responsive budgeting.
	However, the Government are supportive of efforts to achieve gender equality and I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Meg Munn) on 13 March 2008,  Official Report, column 643W.

Exports: Licensing

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which countries the UK has refused an export licence on the grounds of human rights since 1997.

David Miliband: Human rights considerations are at the forefront of the UK assessment of all export license applications. Criterion 2 of the consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing criteria requires us to assess the attitude of the country of final destination towards principles established by international human rights instruments.
	Information about the refusal of certain export licence applications under the EU and National Arms Export Licensing consolidated criteria has been published in the UK strategic export control annual reports available since 2001. This information can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's website at www.fco.gov.uk
	We do not as a matter of course collate information about refusals broken down by the criteria applied, for example, over concerns over human rights in individual countries. It would incur disproportionate cost to provide this information for the period requested.

Fiji: Foreign Relations

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what permission  (a) the Prime Minister's Office or  (b) his Department gave to Fiji to use his image to promote a tourism campaign; and what assessment he has made of the effect on the UK's diplomatic relations.

Meg Munn: The Prime Minister's Office does not give permission for images of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to be used in commercial promotions, as was made clear at the time of the Fiji Visitors Bureau's February 2008 advertising campaign. I do not believe this incident has had an impact on the UK's diplomatic relations.

Football Banning Orders

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions his Department has been consulted by the Home Office on banning orders on visa applicants wishing to visit the UK in the last three months.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office maintains regular contact with the Home Office over additions and deletions to UN Security Council and EU travel ban lists, over exclusion decisions and over visa applications. The Government do not keep central statistics for these contacts.

France: European Council Presidency

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his French counterpart on France's presidency of the European Council in the second half of 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed possible priorities for the French presidency with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs at the UK-France Summit on 27 March 2008. This discussion was continued at an informal meeting with other EU Foreign Ministers in Paris on 31 March.
	My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, and Foreign Secretary and I have regular contact with our French counterparts and discuss a wide range of EU issues. There is also frequent contact at official level.
	The joint UK-France declaration, issued after the Summit, outlines key areas for UK-French co-operation, including during the French presidency. These include work on a new EU Migration Pact, an EU-wide strategy for tackling climate change and securing energy supplies, taking action to reduce global poverty and improving civilian crisis management capabilities.

Gaza: Weapons

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation he has made to the Government of Egypt on stopping the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.

Kim Howells: Arms smuggling into Gaza remains a great concern. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met his Egyptian counterpart Aboul Gheit on 19 February 2007 to discuss the situation on Gaza. The Quadrilateral Committee, which consists of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and the US has been working closely to address the issue of smuggling and border control.

Human Rights

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of international compliance with conventions banning torture and other degrading practices; what steps the UK Government is taking to  (a) encourage other countries to ratify such conventions and  (b) monitor compliance; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Despite the fact that a large number of states have ratified various international conventions prohibiting torture, torture continues to be committed with impunity in many parts of the world. The UK remains fundamentally opposed to torture and continues to be one of the most active countries in the world in the fight to eradicate it.
	For example, we continue to support wider ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture (CAT) and its Optional Protocol (OPCAT) through bilateral lobbying campaigns, EU demarches and our work in UN fora such as the Human Rights Council. We also use a combination of project work and diplomatic activity to encourage implementation of OPCAT, including by the establishment of national preventative mechanisms. Since September 2006, 13 additional states have ratified OPCAT. This marks significant progress, although there is of course more to be done.
	The UK continues to support various bodies which have a role to play in monitoring and promoting compliance with international conventions and standards relating to the prohibition of torture, including the UN treaty bodies formally mandated to help enforce the CAT and OPCAT, and the European Court of Human Rights.
	Further information on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) work in this area can be found in the FCO's 2007 Annual Human Rights Report. The report is also available on the FCO's website at:
	www.fco.gov.uk.

Indonesia: Human Rights

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr. Manfred Nowak, on the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by Indonesian security forces in Indonesia and West Papua; whether he plans to make representations to the government of Indonesia on the report's findings; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We welcome Dr. Manfred Nowak's visit to Indonesia in November 2007, at the invitation of the Indonesian government. In an address to the UN Human Rights Council on 4 March, the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirajuda, expressed appreciation for the importance of the work of the Special Rapporteurs and undertook to sustain Indonesia's dialogue with them. The report of Dr. Nowak's visit as published to the UN Human Rights Council on 10 March. It notes the considerable progress made in Indonesia since 1998 and the commitment of the current government to uphold and promote human rights. It also raised concerns about torture and ill treatment in places of detention, particularly in the metropolitan areas of Java. We are continuing to study Dr. Nowak's report and are consulting with EU partners on how we might engage with the Indonesian government on its findings. Indonesia is currently participating in a process of Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council. The UK is a member of the UN Human Rights Council and we look forward to a further discussion of Dr. Nowak's recommendations in due course.

Indonesia: Human Rights

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to respond to the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr Manfred Nowak, on the use of torture by the Indonesian security forces in Indonesia and West Papua.

Meg Munn: We welcome Dr. Manfred Nowak's visit to Indonesia in November 2007, at the invitation of the Indonesian Government. In an address to the UN Human Rights Council on 4 March 2008, the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirajuda, expressed appreciation for the importance of the work of the Special Rapporteurs and undertook to sustain Indonesia's dialogue with them. The report of Manfred Nowak's visit was published to the UN Human Rights Council on 10 March. It notes the considerable progress made in Indonesia since 1998 and the commitment of the current government to uphold and promote human rights. It also raised concerns about torture and ill treatment in places of detention, particularly in the metropolitan areas of Java. We are continuing to study Dr. Nowak's report and are consulting with EU partners on how we might engage with the Indonesian Government on its findings. Indonesia is currently participating in a process of Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council. The UK is a member of the UN Human Rights Council and we look forward to a further discussion of Dr. Nowak's recommendations in due course.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many complaints have been received relating to the behaviour of individuals employed by private military companies under contract to the UK Government in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan since 2003, broken down by type of complaint.

David Miliband: One complaint has been received about the alleged discharge of a weapon by an individual working for a private security company contracted to the Government in Iraq. On investigation the complaint proved to be unfounded as the incident involved a company that had no connection with the Government. No complaints have been received about the behaviour of individuals working for private security companies contracted to the Government in Afghanistan.

Maldives: Elections

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on participating in an election-monitoring mission to the Maldives in relation to elections expected in 2008; and what plans he has for the UK to do so.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has received no specific representations on election monitoring in Maldives. I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave on 27 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1704-05W, to the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Mr. Spring) and to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) .

Mexico: Foreign Relations

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps the Government have taken to improve the relationship between the UK and Mexico.

Meg Munn: The UK and Mexico enjoy extensive and growing bilateral relations. Co-operation on climate security, sustainable development and trade are the cornerstones of this relationship. In addition to regular official and ministerial visits in both directions, formal economic and high level political talks are held annually. Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister Lourdes Aranda headed the Mexican delegation at the most recent political talks in London on 1 April 2008 which I chaired.

Michael Shields

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Bulgaria on a pardon for Michael Shields; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made no representations to the government of Bulgaria in support of a pardon for Mr. Shields. Consular officials remain in contact with Mr. Shields' legal team and continue to advise them to pursue those avenues available to them in accordance with Bulgarian legal processes.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK Government have had any discussions with the prospective candidates for the US presidency on the Israel-Palestine conflict and its humanitarian implications; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Government, both in London and through our embassy in Washington, discuss a wide range of issuesincluding the Israeli-Palestinian conflictwith the US presidential candidates and their advisers on a continuing basis. Most recently, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met Senator John McCain on 20 March.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution his Department made to the United Nations Development Programme Trust Fund to support the work of Quartet Special Envoy James Wolfensohn in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development gave to him on 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1273W.
	The Department for International Development was the main Departmental lead on assistance to James Wolfensohn when he held the role of the Quartet Representative for Gaza disengagement.

Nuclear Disarmament

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received a response from his counterparts in the five Non-Proliferation Treaty nuclear weapons states to the United Kingdom offer to host a technical conference on the verification of nuclear disarmament.

Des Browne: I have been asked to reply.
	My offer to host a conference of scientists from the nuclear laboratories of the five recognised nuclear weapon states was made in a speech to the Conference on Disarmament on 5 February 2008. Since then, senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and Foreign and Commonwealth Office have written jointly to their counterparts in each of the respective capitals describing the offer in more detail. We are waiting for formal responses before making further announcements.

Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to make progress on the fissile material cut-off treaty.

Kim Howells: The UK considers a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) to be a key priority for making further progress on multilateral disarmament. We will continue to press for the start of negotiations without pre-conditions at the Conference on Disarmament (CD). My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, spoke to the Conference on 5 February 2008 and highlighted the urgent need for the Conference to redouble their efforts to move forward on a FMCT.
	As the holder of one of the six CD presidencies in 2008 we are working with like-minded countries to try to bring about the start of negotiations this year. We will continue to lobby the states which remain opposed to the start of this process.

Pakistan: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Parliamentary and provincial elections took place in Pakistan on 18 February 2008. The EU Election Observation Mission recognised the elections as competitive. The political parties of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Awami National Party (ANP) with the Jamiat Ulema Islami-Fazlur (JUI-F) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) grouping have formed a coalition government. The National Assembly elected a new Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gillani, on 24 March. He was sworn in by President Musharraf on 25 March. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has written to Prime Minister Gillani to congratulate him on his election.
	We welcome the statement made by Prime Minister Gillani on 29 March, setting out the priorities for the first 100 days of his coalition government in the National Assembly, announcing measures to combat terrorism, tackle inflation and unemployment, improve media freedoms and strengthen the judiciary. Pakistan faces considerable challenges, not only political, but also economic, developmental, educational and health. We are looking forward to working closely with the new government to help them to meet these challenges.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  whether he has held discussions with the new government of Pakistan on the treatment of religious minorities and the use of the blasphemy laws;
	(2)  if he will urge the government of Pakistan to fully repeal the blasphemy laws.

Kim Howells: The UK strongly supports freedom of religion. We condemn instances where individuals are persecuted because of their faith or belief, wherever this occurs and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned. Both bilaterally, and together with our EU partners, we have raised our concerns with the Government of Pakistan over the situation of religious minorities, including the excessive punishments prescribed in cases of blasphemy and the frequent abuse of the blasphemy legislation. We will continue to raise the concerns of minorities with the new Government of Pakistan and encourage reform or repeal of discriminatory legislation through the National Assembly.

Papua

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the treatment of the population of West Papua by the Indonesian authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Our embassy in Jakarta follows the situation in Papua closely and is in regular contact with human rights organisations, non-governmental organisations and academics who provide reports on developments in the region. Embassy staff also visit Papua regularly, most recently from 15-20 February 2008. While there they held discussions with local officials, non-governmental organisations and representatives of religious organisations on a range of issues, including human rights.
	We assess that the Indonesian Government are committed to making improvements in the human rights situation as well as promoting wider development efforts in Papua. The invitations from the Indonesian Government to the UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jilanai, and Professor Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, to visit Papua are encouraging signs of this.

Piracy

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance his Department issues to  (a) UK-registered and  (b) Royal Navy ships operating in or passing through areas where there is a risk of piracy on (i) intervention in and (ii) taking active steps to prevent acts of piracy.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not issue guidance to UK-registered ships in respect of piracy. This is the responsibility of the Department for Transport (DFT), which relies on data supplied by the International Maritime Bureau, a specialised division of the International Chamber of Commerce, and other sources. The DFT also issues guidance on how ships can take steps to avoid being the object of a piracy attack. The Ministry of Defence is responsible for managing the operations of its own vessels.

Rendition

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken in international forums to raise concerns on the use of extraordinary rendition.

Kim Howells: We have cooperated fully with previous investigations by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe on rendition and have informed them of the new information we received from the US on 15 February regarding two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia in 2002. We will continue to cooperate with such international forums on this issue.

Rendition

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Statement of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, column 547, on terrorist suspects (renditions), which officials are responsible for receiving and administering US requests for permission to use British airports and air bases, including US bases on British territory, for rendition of individuals.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is the lead Department on rendition policy and officials in its Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) are the designated points of contact for this issue. All UK overseas missions are aware that they must notify CTD of any potential rendition requests from the US or third countries. Our officials continue to work with their US counterparts on the details and implications of the new information passed to us on 15 February regarding two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia in 2002. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has also written to Secretary Rice, further to his statement to the House on 21 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 547-48, to request clarification on a number of specific issues and to clarify the appropriate arrangements for any future rendition requests.

Russia: BBC

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from the BBC on interruptions and suspensions of the BBC Russian language service in Russia and Kazakhstan.

Jim Murphy: The BBC World Service keeps the Foreign and Commonwealth Office fully informed of any interruptions and suspensions of the BBC Russian language service in Russia.
	There have been no major interruptions to the BBC's short or medium wave (MW) services in Russia or Kazakhstan in recent years. Since November 2006, the World Service has lost three FM partnershipswith Radio Leningrad in St. Petersburg, with Radio Arsenal in Moscow and with Bolshoye Radio in both cities.
	There was a brief interruption to the Moscow MW frequency in early 2007. The BBC understands this was a technical issue related to the operational licence of the MW service provider in Russia. This was rectified and the service resumed.

Russia: BBC

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the closure of FM stations in Russia and Kazakhstan carrying the BBC Russian language service in the last two years.

Jim Murphy: The BBC World Service has kept the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and our embassy in Moscow, fully briefed on all FM radio developments in Russia. Since November 2006, the World Service has lost three FM radio partnerships: with Radio Leningrad in St. Petersburg, with Radio Arsenal in Moscow and with Bolshoye Radio in both cities. Since 2000, the BBC World Service has had no FM partnerships with radio stations in Kazakhstan.

Russia: BBC

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the  (a) reasons for and  (b) effects of the suspensions of the BBC Russian language service carried by local FM partners in Russia in the last two years.

Jim Murphy: The BBC World Service has kept the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) fully briefed on the suspensions of the BBC Russian language service carried by local FM radio partners in Russia. The FCO reported on the most recent incident with Bolshoye Radio to the Foreign Affairs Committee. This partnership was ended because of pressure by the Russian authorities on Bolshoye Radio to remove BBC content. Given the short lifespan of the FM partnership (Bolshoye Radiofour months, Radio Arsenal18 months and Radio Leningrad20 months), the BBC World Service was unable to collate meaningful statistics to measure the impact of the closures.

Russia: BBC

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding is planned for  (a) the BBC World Service and  (b) its Russian language service in each of the next three years.

Jim Murphy: BBC World Service funding for the next three years was announced in the Government's spending review in October 2007 and will be 265 million/272 million/271 million over the next three years. Of this, the amount directly apportioned to the Russian Service will be approximately 4.4 million in year one. In addition to this, there are a number of infrastructure and administration costs which are not allocated out to individual services. Funding for years two and three has not yet been finalised.

Russia: BBC

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to reinstate the broadcasting of BBC Russian language services on short wave.

Jim Murphy: The BBC Russian language service continues to broadcast on shortwave. This service has not been suspended.

Saudi Arabia: Overseas Residence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 836W, on Saudi Arabia: overseas residence, if he will make representations to the government of Saudi Arabia to permit non-Muslims to practise their faith in public.

Kim Howells: This is an internal matter for the Saudi government. They are well aware that the Government believe freedom of worship is a right that people should enjoy everywhere. There are no additional plans to make representations to the Government of Saudi Arabia to permit non-Muslims to practice their faith in public.

Simon Mann

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take in the week beginning 21 April to monitor the  (a) treatment and  (b) risk of torture of Mr. Simon Mann in Black Beach Prison, Equatorial Guinea; and whether Mr. Mann is still being continuously shackled.

Meg Munn: Our consul from the British deputy high commission in Lagos was refused consular access to Simon Mann during his last visit to Equatorial Guinea in March 2008. We have expressed our concern to the Equatorial Guinea authorities and are urgently seeking another consular visit. Mr. Mann's welfare remains our primary concern.

Sri Lanka: Christianity

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to make representations to the government of Sri Lanka on recent attacks against Christians.

Kim Howells: Our high commission in Colombo has expressed concern to the Sri Lankan government over recent reports of religious intolerance. We condemn the persecution of individuals or groups because of their faith or belief. We take very seriously issues of discrimination on grounds of religion and press for adherence to the principles of religious freedoms enshrined in the UN Charter and international conventions.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made in the peace talks for Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Due to fragmentation among rebel movements and intensified fighting between the Government of Sudan and rebel groups, there has been no recent progress in the political process. The UK set out, at a meeting convened in Geneva on 18 March by the UN and African Union envoys, proposals for a cessation of hostilities and actions to revitalise the political process including the urgent appointment of a single chief mediator and deeper engagement with civil society.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what progress has been made in meeting the helicopter requirements of the UNAMID deployment in Sudan; how many of the six light tactical attack helicopters have been provided; how many of the 18 medium utility transport helicopters have been provided; how many trained crews, including pilots and mechanics, are now available to fly and maintain any helicopters provided; what countries are involved in providing helicopters, crews and training; whether the UK is meeting any of the costs involved; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the offer by Ethiopia of helicopters to the UNAMID mission made in February 2008; how many of each type of helicopter have been offered; and how this deployment will be maintained and paid for;
	(3)  what countries have offered to provide, or are in talks with, the UN on providing helicopters for the UNAMID mission in Sudan.

David Miliband: The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) has lobbied over 60 countries for helicopters and continues to seek offers to fill the remaining shortfalls. We are working closely in support of DKPO to lobby potential providers and we continue to explore all options for provision of helicopters.
	DKPO has accepted an Ethiopian offer of four light tactical helicopters, including crew and maintenance personnel. These are Mi-35 type helicopters. Up to 4 April 2008, the requirement for the 18 medium utility transport helicopters remains unfilled.
	Helicopter contributions offered by countries must meet the requirements specified by the UN. This ensures there are enough crews and mechanics to operate and maintain the airframes. Ethiopia's helicopters will be maintained by Ethiopia and funded through the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur budget, which UN member states pay for through their assessed contributions.
	Up to 4 April 2008, Ethiopia is the only country to offer helicopters that the UN considers meets its specifications. The UK is assisting their preparation with expert advice from the UK Joint Helicopter Command on conducting an overseas deployment. We are meeting the costs associated with this ourselves.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government has had with other EU and NATO countries on providing funding to underwrite the costs of the provision of helicopters, parts and crews for the UNAMID mission to Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We have had extensive discussions with several countries, including EU and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) partners, about options to meet the urgent requirement for helicopters for the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). These options include possible funding and support arrangements for helicopters provided by third countries. We are working closely in support of the UN and we continue to explore all options for provision of helicopters.
	On 27 March 2008, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and French President Sarkozy announced the establishment of a trust fund that could improve the availability of helicopters to European partners and NATO allies. This initiative will increase support available to multilateral operations, such as UNAMID.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government of Sudan has placed any obstacles in the way of the deployment of helicopters by UNAMID; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We understand the Government of Sudan have declared they will not object to any country providing helicopters for the UN-African Union (AU) Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). The Government of Sudan signed a Status of Forces Agreement with the AU and the UN on 9 February 2008, which should remove a number of related obstacles to UNAMID deployment, including movement of equipment and visas for UNAMID personnel. The UN, AU and the Government of Sudan continue to negotiate over limitations on UNAMID flights. We have, in regular contacts with the Government of Sudan, pressed the Government of Sudan to co-operate fully with the AU and the UN over UNAMID and remove limitations on flights.

Sudan: Politics and Government

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions the Government have had with the government of Chad on Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is represented in Chad through our high commission in Yaounde. Officials from the high commission regularly visit Chad and have raised the issue of Darfur on numerous occasions. The last visits to Chad were on 19 November 2007 and 5-8 February 2008, where Darfur was raised with the Chadian Foreign Minister Ahmad Allam-mi and the Deputy Foreign Minister respectively.
	The Government will also continue to work multilaterally through the UN and the EU to support initiatives to reduce tensions between Chad and Sudan. We have repeatedly called on the Governments of both Chad and Sudan to end support for armed groups in the region.

Tibet: Politics and Government

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice he has received on the compliance with international law of actions taken by the People's Republic of China in relation to the self-determination movement in Tibet.

Meg Munn: As noted in the Ministerial Code, the fact and substance of legal advice to the Government remains confidential. This enables the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.
	China is identified in our recently published Human Rights Annual Report as having a poor human rights record, including in relation to Tibet. We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities and continue to urge full respect for international human rights standards including; inter alia, rights to freedom of association, expression, religion, access to a fair trial and respect for prisoners' fundamental rights. We have urged the Chinese authorities to exercise maximum restraint in dealing with any further unrest in the Tibetan region.

Tibet: Press Freedom

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on reporting restrictions placed on foreign journalists in Tibet; and what representations he has made to the government of the People's Republic of China on the matter.

Meg Munn: holding answer 3 April 2008
	Foreign journalists, along with all other foreigners, are currently only able to travel to Tibet after acquiring a time-limited entry permit from the Chinese authorities. Applications by journalists for these permits have often been refused in the past. A recent exception to this was the one-day tour of Lhasa organised by the Chinese Ministry for Foreign Affairs for a select group of foreign correspondents on 26 March. We continue to urge the Chinese authorities to allow free media access to Tibet. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister did so in his telephone call to Chinese Premier Wen on 19 March. The group of diplomats, including a representative from our embassy in Beijing, which visited Lhasa on 28 and 29 March, also raised the issue of free access for journalists with the Chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

Torture

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy on  (a) water-boarding and  (b) other physical and degrading interrogation techniques is; and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that policy is adhered to.

David Miliband: As I have said previously, I consider that water-boarding amounts to torture.
	The UK unreservedly condemns the use of torture. We work hard with our international partners to eradicate this abhorrent practice. The UK abides by its obligations under international law, including under the UN Convention Against Torture and the European Convention on Human Rights, and expects all other countries to comply with their international obligations.
	The Government never use torture for any purpose, including obtaining information, nor would we instigate or encourage others to do so. Our rejection of the use of torture is well known by our liaison partners.
	The UK has implemented a range of measures, practices and policies to ensure compliance with our obligations.

Trade: Intellectual Property

Richard Caborn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made on the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	Progress on the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) is considered at the TRIPs Council which meets three times a year Reports of its meetings are available on the WTQ website at:
	http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/intel6_e.htm.
	The most recent meeting of the Council took place on 13 March 2008. It reviewed national implementing measures and discussed technical co-operation and the relationship between the TRIPs agreement and the convention on biological diversity.
	It also noted that 41 member states (including EU member states) had accepted the amendment to the agreement which provides flexibility for countries unable to produce pharmaceuticals domestically to obtain supplies of generic versions of patented drugs from other countries. This amendment arose from commitments made by WTO Ministers in the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health in 2001, and will formally be written into the agreement when two-thirds of the 151 members accept it. Until that date, a temporary solution, adopted in 2003, will remain in force.

Turkey: EU Accession

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps the Government have taken to increase support for Turkish accession to the European Union amongst EU member states.

Jim Murphy: The Government are a strong advocate and supporter of Turkish accession to the EU, and reaffirm this at each possible opportunity.
	The UK works closely with other EU member states on enlargement issues, co-operating actively to support Turkey's reform process and to ensure that progress remains on track. At the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council in December 2007, EU Foreign Ministers reiterated that the EU will keep its previously agreed commitments towards countries in the enlargement process.

Zimbabwe: Elections

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many election monitors the UK will provide to the presidential elections in Zimbabwe.

David Miliband: The Government of Zimbabwe stated that 'unfriendly' countries would not be invited to observe the elections. This meant that no formal EU Observation Mission observed the 29 March elections and no formal UK observers were sent. 10 British embassy diplomatic staff, who are based in our embassy in Harare, were permitted to observe the elections informally along with other members of the diplomatic corps in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe: Overseas Residence

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what precautions have been taken to assist UK citizens living in Zimbabwe following the elections.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) takes its role of providing consular support to British nationals overseas seriously and their safety is our top priority. As with many other British diplomatic missions across the world, our embassy in Harare holds a civil contingency plan. The Zimbabwe contingency plan focuses on assisting the departure of British nationals from Zimbabwe by non-military means and is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. At present, we do not anticipate an assisted departure or evacuation, but we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our plans accordingly.
	The FCO travel advice for Zimbabwe is under constant review. We are currently advising against all but essential travel to the whole country. We are also advising British nationals in Zimbabwe to avoid specific areas and to have their own contingency plan for how they would leave at short notice. A full copy of the travel advice can be found at:
	www.fco.gov.uk/travel/Zimbabwe
	If the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorates further, we will reflect this in our travel advice and provide appropriate guidance. To ensure that we can effectively communicate this information, British nationals in Zimbabwe are urged to register with our Embassy in Harare.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding  (a) his Department and  (b) lottery distributors have contributed towards projects aimed at increasing participation in the arts by priority groups, with particular reference to (i) black and minority ethnic, (ii) limiting disability and (iii) lower socio-economic groups in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: DCMS funding for the arts is channelled through Arts Council England (ACE). Increasing participation by priority groups is a strategic aim which cannot be disaggregated from overall funding, but which is supported by a large number of activities and initiatives.
	There have been a range of initiatives over the last 10 years aimed at this objective, including the New Audiences Programme (1998 to 2003), the work of audience development agencies and the decibel initiative. Other activities and initiatives include:
	The Grants for the Arts lottery programme has been weighted in favour of first time applicants and those from disadvantaged areasdraft figures indicate that in 2007-08, 29 per cent. of applications were for work largely of benefit to areas of social deprivation.
	ACE rolled out its first race equality scheme in 2004. The scheme included the production of a tool kit to support regularly funded organisations (RFOs) in their work on race equality and diversity.
	ACE reached its target for 10 per cent. of the value of its Grants for the Arts programme to go to BME artists/organisations. BME-led organisations also now make up 5.7 per cent. of the RFO portfolio (an annual investment of 7.4 million).
	ACE is also rolling out a disability equality scheme (DES) which runs till 2010, with the aim of achieving disability equality within its own organisation, and within the arts and creative sector they fund and support. 3 per cent. of the value of the Grants for the Arts programme was allocated to disability-led organisations in 2007-08; this is an annual investment of 1.6 million.

Arts

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on the implementation of the McMaster Review of excellence in the arts.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 2 April 2008
	Work is already under way within DCMS, Arts Council England and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, and across the sector more widely on many of Sir Brian McMaster's recommendations.
	A number of the recommendations can be implemented swiftly, for example DCMS has now completed an audit of its sponsored bodies and already meets the recommended target of two artists or relevant practitioners on each board.
	Some of the other recommendations will take longer to develop and implement, for example the new judgment-based system of assessmentencompassing peer review and self-assessmentis expected to take around a year to develop, test and evaluate before being fully implemented.
	To help facilitate this work a Programme Board and Steering Group have been convened to discuss the details of implementing some of the longer-term recommendations in Sir Brian's review. The Programme Board will meet for the second time later this month to approve the complete delivery plan, which we hope will be launched before the summer.

Arts: Bureaucracy

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans his Department has for reducing the burden of administration on arts organisations.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 2 April 2008
	As part of his report on excellence in the arts, Sir Brian McMaster recommended a new, light-touch and non-bureaucratic system for judging the quality of the arts in the future. The starting point for this will be a system of self-assessment within organisations, designed to allow them to measure themselves against their own and shared objectives and a cyclical process of peer review, led by respected practitioners.
	Underpinning both will be a move away from measurement of data to a more judgment-based approach, where qualified individuals who have the confidence and respect of the arts sector can make value based judgments of performance, without the need to burden arts organisations with overly complex reporting procedures.
	This reflects the wider work the Department is doing to reduce the burden we place on our NDPBs. A process of risk assessment will enable us to focus our scrutiny on the few areas of higher risk and adopt a more light-touch approach in most cases. Funding agreements will be shorter, with fewer targets, fewer monitoring returns will be required, and where possible and appropriate we will extend NDPBs' delegated powers.

Arts: Rural Areas

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Government support has been given to the  (a) performing and  (b) visual arts in rural areas of England since May 2005.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Arts Council do not record allocations by rural, urban or suburban area. A list of Arts Council England's funding for the performing and visual arts between 2005-06 to 2007-08, broken down by constituency, will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	In 2005 Arts Council England published Arts in rural England which looked at the diversity of arts and creativity in rural England. It is available at:
	http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publications/publication_detail.php?rid=0sid=browse=recentid=491

Arts: Standards

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans his Department has for reducing the number of targets which are applied to the arts sector.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 3 April 2008
	Arts Council England is responsible for funding agreements with their regularly funded organisations, and therefore target setting for arts organisations rests with them. As part of his report on excellence in the arts, Sir Brian McMaster recommended a move away from 'top-down' targets towards a more judgment-based system.
	Work is now underway to implement Sir Brian's recommendations both within DCMS and Arts Council England and in the arts sector more widely. Part of this work will be developing, testing and implementing a new judgment-based assessment framework.

Association for Physical Education

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how often his Department has met the Association for Physical Education in each of the last three years; and what the outcome was of those meetings.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Our records indicate that this Department has not met the Association for Physical Education (AfPE) since its formal launch in March 2006, although officials are due to meet them in April with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). DCSF has had regular keeping in touch meetings with AfPE since its establishment.

Baseball

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he has had recent discussions on the governance of baseball; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My officials continue to work closely with both Sport England and UK Sport in relation to the governance and funding of baseball in the UK.
	Following a recent independent audit of Baseball/Softball UK (BSUK), Sport England have confirmed that they are fully satisfied that BSUK can appropriately manage and account for public funds.
	Sport England also hold quarterly reviews with BSUK to consider progress of their Whole Sport Plan.
	I would like to congratulate the GB team in successfully qualifying for the 2009 IBAF World Championships.

Cultural Heritage: Climate Change

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account he takes of climate change when developing the Department's heritage strategy, with particular reference to the protection of buildings of historic importance and landscapes.

Margaret Hodge: This Department is taking account of climate change in developing our strategic policy on the historic environment. English Heritage, the Government's strategic advisor on the historic environment, held a climate change summit in January at which I gave a keynote speech. Heritage professionals were also present at DCMS' seminar on climate change in January and are working with DEFRA on the development of its climate change adaptation policy framework. English Heritage continues to undertake research and provide guidance on issues such coastal erosion; adapting historic buildings, parks and gardens for climate change and how to incorporate energy saving technologies into historic buildings.

Cultural Heritage: Young People

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his estimate is of the number of hours of arts and culture children receive each week.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is very difficult to estimate the number of hours of art and culture that children currently receive each week. Schools offer many cultural experiences, for example in music, art, drama and poetry, both within and beyond the curriculum. Many schools also give pupils opportunities to visit museums, local theatres and galleries.
	The exact number of hours will, however, depend on the age of the pupils involved, the subjects chosen at the end of key stage 3, and the extended activities available outside curriculum time. Similarly, we are aware that access to arts and culture outside of school time is varied.
	Our Taking Part youth survey showed that 61 per cent. of young people said that they had engaged in cultural activities at least once a week during the previous 12 months, and a further 21 per cent. said that they had engaged in cultural activities at least once a month.
	The numbers quoted here relate to the percentage of 11 to 15-year-olds living in private households in England, both in and out school. The survey's definition of cultural activities includes, among other things, participating in an arts activity, visiting a museum or gallery and visiting a historic environment site. The interviews were conducted between January and December 2006.
	The 10 pilots which will be selected as part of our recently announced 'Find your Talent' scheme will be asked to audit current level of arts and culture provision and the take up of these activities by children and young people in more detail.

Cultural Relations: Israel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take to improve cultural ties between the UK and Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: I have no plans at present to take any special steps to improve cultural relations with Israel. There are no barriers to organisations in the UK and Israel forming cultural relations and I am aware that there have been and will continue to be good cultural relations between our two countries. I welcome this.

Culture Online: Standards

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2008,  Official Report, column 545W, on Culture Online, what targets were set for the Culture Online related projects  (a) Artisan Cam City,  (b) Heritage Guides,  (c) Every Object Tells a Story,  (d) Film Street,  (e) Headline History,  (f) Icons,  (g) MadforArts,  (h) My ArtSpace,  (i) Origination,  (j) Plant Cultures,  (k) Playground Fun,  (l) Rosetta Requiem,  (m) Sound Junction,  (n) Stagework and  (o) The Dark; and what progress has been made towards achieving those targets.

Margaret Hodge: Each Culture Online project was set a number of appropriate targets in its delivery contract with partner organisations. I am arranging for extracts from the relevant contracts to be deposited in the House Libraries.
	Progress towards achieving the targets for each project is set out as follows. The statistics provide interim figures. Although Culture Online closed in March 2007, a number of the projects are still running and visitors are still accessing the websites.
	 (a) ArtisanCam
	January 2005 to January 2007: 192,169 visits to the website.
	 (b) City Heritage Guides
	September 2005 to January 2007: 1,062,140 visits to the website.
	 (c) Every Object Tells a Story
	January 2005 to February 2007: 915,599 visits to the website.
	Project outreach work involved over 2,140 people. A video booth travelled around England, visiting shopping centres, libraries and bus stations to enable people to capture their object and story in a short video.
	 (d) Film Street
	April 2006 to February 2007: 156,166 visits to the website.
	 (e) Headline History
	May 2005 to February 2007: 349,040 visits to the website.
	 (f) Icons
	January 2006-January 2007: 1,521,017 visits to the website.
	 (g) MadforArts
	Visits to the website were unrecorded
	1,000 people were involved in project outreach work
	The films made as part of the MadforArts project had an audience of 2 million on Channel Five and the Community Channel.
	 (h) My Art Space
	January 2006 to February 2007: 19,402 visits to the website.
	 (i) Origination
	January 2005 to October 2006: 49,961 visits to the website
	Over 7,000 young people took part in schools website building competition
	300 people took part in the national programme of workshops encouraging hard-to-reach audiences to build personal websites.
	 (j) Plant Cultures
	Visits to the website were unrecorded
	An average of 1,000,000 unique visitors in the first 18 months, inspired over 20,000 new visitors to gardens and museums in London, Leicester, Liverpool and Bradford
	500 people were involved in project outreach work.
	 (k) Playground Fun
	August 2005-February 2007: 78,243 visits to the website
	2,500 youngsters took part in the Playground Fun day at the Museum of Childhood in London (August 2005), playing games and contributing to the website.
	 ( l ) Rosetta Requiem
	October 2005 to February 2007: 24,788 visits to the website
	Worked with 177 hospice users to create music and films with them
	An audience of over 2 million for national radio and TV coverage
	22,000 copies of We Laughed sold, reaching number 11 in the UK singles chart.
	 (m) Soundjunction
	October 2005 to January 2007: 175,152 visits to the website
	100 people were involved in project outreach work.
	 (n) Stagework
	January 2004 to February 2007: 488,520 visits to the website
	7,400 downloads recorded up to February 2007.
	 (o) The Dark
	February 2005 to January 2006: 39,717 visits to the website
	More than 35,000 visits to the 3D soundscape installation.

Culture: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on strategic commissioning in  (a) museums  (b) galleries and  (c) libraries in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Over the past five years through our Strategic Commissioning programme DCMS and DCSF (formerly DfES) have jointly provided the following funds for education and community based work delivered by museums and galleries across England.
	
		
			   Funding ( million) 
			 2003-04 2.6 
			 2004-05 2.35 
			 2005-06 4.7 
			 2006-07 4.7 
			 2007-08 4.7

Culture: Young People

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to his Department's press release of 13 February 2008 on the Find Your Talent scheme, whether cultural events attended outside school hours will count towards the intention to offer children five hours of culture a week.

Margaret Hodge: The Find Your Talent programme of 10 pilots will trial ways of offering young people a range of cultural opportunities for five hours a week.
	This will include activities which take place during the core school day, in extended schools and those offered by local authorities and other providers outside of school time.

Culture: Young People

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps the Government have taken to provide opportunities for young people to engage in cultural activities.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 26 March 2008
	We are committed to giving young people access to high quality cultural activities and continue to make significant investment in this area.
	For example in November 2007 we announced a total investment of 332 million in school music over the next three years.
	We also recently announced that a further 110 million will be allocated to the successful Creative Partnerships programme and that 5.5 million will go towards supporting youth dance over the same period.
	We continue to invest in museums education, through both our programme of strategic commissioning which we will invest over 13 million in the next three years, and through our support for the Renaissance in the Regions programme.
	Building on this, we announced on 13 February 2008 our plans for a Find Your Talent programme of 10 pilots that will trial ways of offering young people a range of cultural opportunities for five hours a week in and out of school.
	We are seeking applications from partnerships in local areas around the country and have published a prospectus setting out a core range of activities we believe young people should be able to engage with. What we learn from this will inform our plans for a national roll out.

Departmental Contracts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what contracts were awarded by his Department to  (a) KPMG,  (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers,  (c) Ernst and Young,  (d) McKinsey,  (e) Deloitte and  (f) other consultancy firms in each of the last 12 months; and what the (i) purpose and (ii) value was of each of these contracts.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following contracts were awarded by the Department in the last 12 months:
	
		
			  Company  Contract  Value () 
			  (a) KPMG   
			
			  (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers Assessment of World Heritage Site 69,000 
			  Impact of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games 78,000 
			
			  (c) Ernst and Young   
			
			  (d) McKinsey Consultancy Support for DCMS Transformation Programme 38,500 
			
			  (e) Deloitte Review and compliance of ICT Security Strategy 58,000 
			  Support for delivery of transformation programme 104,000 
			
			  (f) TFG International Specialist Advice to Government Olympic Executive on 2012 50,000 
			
			 Organisation Consulting Partnership LLP Advice on Horserace Betting Levy 59,000 
			
			 Veredus Recruitment of Chair for Sport England 21,000 
			
			 The Work Foundation Consultancy on Creative Economy Programme Green Paper 49,000 
			
			 Saxton Bamfylde Hever Recruitment of Chair for English Heritage 36,000 
			
			 Odgers Ray Berndtson Recruitment of Chair for Olympic Delivery Authority 35,000 
			  Recruitment for Head of Projects in Government Olympic Executive 35,000) 
			  Recruitment of Director for Culture 10,000 
			
			 Ql Consulting Security Audit of Business Continuity Planning 28,000 
			
			 Stanton Harris Facilitation of DCMS Board Awayday 15,000

Departmental Contracts

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what contracts his Department has with Euclid; and what the combined monetary value of such contracts is.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 1 April 2008
	 Euclid is currently contracted by DCMS to act as the UK's cultural contact point for the European Union's Culture programme. This contract has a monetary value of 50,000 per year for two years. This sum is match funded by the European Commission. Euclid also holds the contract to promote the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue in the UK. The cost of this contract was a one off payment of 10,000.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what new criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since July 2007.

Margaret Hodge: No new criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport since July 2007.

Departmental Manpower

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) permanent civil service posts  (b) permanent non-civil service posts and  (c) temporary or agency workers in employment there were in his Department in each month since May 2005.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on the number of permanent staff and temporary and agency workers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in the table. There are no permanent non-civil service posts. Civil service statistics are collected on the number of employees and not the number of posts.
	
		
			   Permanent staff  Temporary staff 
			 May 2005 522 18 
			 June 2005 517 18 
			 July 2005 505 25 
			 August 2005 505 26 
			 September 2005 513 29 
			 October 2005 514 29 
			 November 2005 520 32 
			 December 2005 517 35 
			 January 2006 517 37 
			 February 2006 520 38 
			 March 2006 520 38 
			 April 2006 523 39 
			 May 2006 526 36 
			 June 2006 533 33 
			 July 2006 533 34 
			 August 2006 538 29 
			 September 2006 543 20 
			 October 2006 547 1.7 
			 November 2006 546 16 
			 December 2006 547 13 
			 January 2007 542 15 
			 February 2007 538 25 
			 March 2007 527 24 
			 April 2007 526 23 
			 May 2007 524 23 
			 June 2007 527 23 
			 July 2007 523 22 
			 August 2007 517 23 
			 September 2007 510 22 
			 October 2007 503 21 
			 November 2007 503 21 
			 December 2007 502 21 
			 January 2008 490 24 
			 February 2008 477 24

Departmental Property

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what property has been lost or stolen from his Department since 1997; and what the cost of replacement was.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following items have been lost or stolen from the Department since 1997:
	1998: four laptops. Cost of replacement not available.
	2000: one laptop. Cost of replacement not available.
	2001: two laptops. Cost of replacement not available.
	2002: one laptop. Cost of replacement not available.
	2003: one laptop. Cost of replacement not available;
	one Personal Digital Assistant. Cost of replacement not available.
	2004: four Personal Digital Assistants. Cost of replacement not available.
	2006: low value art work. Cost recorded in losses register 450.
	five Personal Digital Assistants. Cost of replacement not available.
	2007: four Personal Digital Assistants. Cost of replacement not available.
	In 2007 the Department reviewed security at its buildings. As result a number of additional security measures have been put in place.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding agreements his Department has made with  (a) departmental agencies,  (b) non-departmental public bodies and  (c) private companies for (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11.

Andy Burnham: Most of the funding agreements with our executive non-departmental public bodies, covering the 2008-11 period, will be finalised during April. Our only agency, the Royal Parks, has been set operational targets but does not have a full funding agreement. There are no funding agreements with private companies apart from those which are also non-departmental public bodies.

Departmental Public Participation

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public consultations his Department has held in the last three years; and how many respondents there were to each.

Margaret Hodge: My Department has held 67 public consultations over the last three years. The number of respondents to each are summarised in the table. A further two consultations are currently live.
	
		
			  Name  Duration  Number of respondents 
			 Consultation on proposal to introduce a simplified process for minor variations to premises licences and club premises certificates 28 November 2007 to 20 February 2008 111 
			
			 McMaster Review: Supporting excellence in the artsfrom measurement to judgment 1 November to 30 November 2007 572 
			
			 Consultation on draft regulations for museums on the publication of information about cultural objects on loan under Part 6 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 21 September to 21 December 2007 18 
			
			 Regulatory Reform Order: Proposal to Remove the Requirement for the Designated Premises Supervisor for Community Premises 8 August to 31 0ctober 2007 116 
			
			 The Governance of Britain, Flag Flying 27 July to 7 November 2007 305 
			
			 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a European agenda for culture in a globalizing world 29 June to 10 September 2007 23 
			
			 The Gambling Act (Small Society Lotteries) (Registration of Non-Commercial Societies) Regulations 2007 12 June to 30 July 2007 7 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation on Temporary Use Notices 31 May to 23 August 2007 9 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation on Draft Regulations under sections 235(5), 240 and 241 of the Gambling Act 2005 Technical regulationssubmitted to three stages of consultation:  
			  June 2006 (2 weeks) 16 
			  February to May 2007 (12 weeks) 20 
			  1 May to 1 June 2007 (4 wks) 8 
			
			 DCMS Equality Scheme 2007-10 Consultation 27 April to 23 July 2007 1 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation on the Review of Premises Licence Regulations 26 April to 15 July 2007 15 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation on Gambling at Non-commercial Events 28 March to 22 June 2007 6 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation on Lottery Machine Interval Order 26 March to 18 May 2007 19 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation on Club Gaming and Club Machine Permits 22 March to 16 May 2007 6 
			
			 ConsultationGambling Act 2005: Licensed Premises Gaming Machine Permits Regulations 22 March to 16 May 2007 6 
			
			 Consultation on DCMS Welsh Language Scheme 2007-11 12 March to 20 April 2007 0 
			
			 Consultation on The Gambling Act 2005: (Limits on Prize Gaming) Regulations 12 March to 31 May 2007 9 
			
			 Heritage Protection for the 21st CenturyWhite Paper 8 March to 1 June 2007 341 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Definition of Dual-Use and Domestic Computers 6 March to 27 May 2007 16 
			
			 Sports Ground Safety Legislation 5 March to 13 April 2007 22 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Gambling (Inviting competing applications for Casino Premises Licences) Regulations 21 February to 2 May 2007 21 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation on Gaming Machine Regulations 9 February to 3 May 2007 20 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation on Gaming in Clubs and on Alcohol-licensed Premises 25 January to 20 April 2007 50 
			
			 Consultation on draft revised guidance to be issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 16 January to 11 April 2007 162 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Premises Licence and Permits Fees Consultation 14 November 2006 to 19 January 2007 35 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation on Prize Gaming Permits and Family Entertainment Centre Gaming Machine Permits 27 October 2006 to 26 January 2007 (1)10 
			   (2)13 
			
			 Consultation and partial Regulatory Impact Assessment on extending the remit of the Football Licensing Authority to the Football Conference 3 October 2006 to 13 February 2007 36 
			
			 Consultation on Community Audio Distribution Systems 24 October to 5 December 2006 21 
			
			 Understanding the Future: Priorities for England's Museums 23 October 2006 to 19 January 2007 57 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Consultation Document: Inspections 13 October to 22 December 2006 28 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Responsible Authority for Vulnerable Adults consultation 13 October to 22 December 2006 18 
			
			 Consultation on creative economy programme working groups draft report 8 August to 20 September 2006 78 
			 Gambling Act 2005: Premises Licence Regulations Consultation 22 September to 15 December 2006 41 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: Premises Licence Hearings Regulations Consultation 22 September to 15 December 2006 37 
			
			 Proposals for Personal LicencesConsultation Paper 13 September to 8 November 2006 20 
			
			 Draft Gambling (Premises Licences: Mandatory and Default Conditions) Regulations for the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005Consultation Document 18 August to 10 November 2006 40 
			
			 Categories of Gaming MachinesConsultation Paper 14 August to 27 October 2006 18 
			
			 Gambling Act 2005: FeesCostings Exercise 9 August to 22 September 2006 44 
			
			 Draft Core Receiver Requirements Consultation Document 27 July to 8 September 2006 12 
			
			 Proposals for Gambling Commission FeesConsultation Paper 20 July to 13 October 2006 234 
			
			 Welcome Legacy: Tourism Strategy for the 2012 GamesA Consultation 19 July to 17 November 2006 171 
			
			 Consultation Paper on Future Sponsorship Arrangements for the Museum of London 10 July to 8 September 2006 157 
			
			 Consultation on Restitution of Objects Spoliated in the Nazi-Era 10 July to 10 November 2006 18 
			
			 Gambling (Categories of Casino) Regulations and draft Order for the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005Formal Consultation Exercise 5 July to 27 Sep 2006 5 
			
			 Proposal by the European Commission for the Revision of The Television Without Frontiers' Directive (Directive 89/552/EC, amended by Directive 97/36/EC) 6 June to 8 September 2006 48 
			
			 Data Limits and Data Services on Radio Multiplexes This consultation has now ended. The consultation period was 24 April to 12 June 2006. 24 April to 12 June 2006 21 
			
			 Consultation Paper on Amendments to the Treasure Act 1996 Code of Practice (Revised) England and Wales 6 April to 26 June 2006 15 
			
			 Consultation on Welsh Language Forms and Documents to be prescribed under the Licensing Act 2003 31 March to 28 April 2006 15 
			
			 BBC White PaperA Public Service for All: The BBC in the Digital Age and Draft Royal Charter and Framework Agreement 14 March to 28 April 2006 (3)200 
			
			 Consultation on providing immunity from seizure for international works of art on loan in the UK 8 March to 10 May 2006 23 
			
			 Consultation on the European Commission's proposal for European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 8 February to 5 May 2006 9 
			
			 Transitional Arrangements and Draft Order for the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005Consultation Paper 2 February to 3 June 2006 37 
			
			 The 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols of 1954 and 1999 6 September to 2 December 2005 54 
			
			 Final date for applications for new casinos under 1968 ActConsultation Paper 23 December 2005 to 23 March 2006 3 
			
			 National Lottery Shares 2009 Consultation Consultation on the share of National Lottery support to the arts and film, heritage and sport 25 November 2005 to 28 February 2006 11,476 
			
			 Three-year Licensing Policy Statement Regulations Consultation 22 November 2005 to 4 February 2006 34 
			
			 Advisory Committee on Historic Ships Consultation 7 November to 16 December 2005 49 
			
			 Consultation on the European Commission's Communication i2010: Digital Libraries 24 October 2005 to 13 January 2006 17 
			
			 Consultation on Permitted Temporary Activities and Temporary Event Notices 9 August to 5 October 2005 187 
			
			 Consultation on the New EU Citizens For Europe Programme 5 August to 28 October 2005 14 
			
			 Consultation Paper on a Cultural Test for British Films 29 July to 21 October 2005 39 
			
			 Big Lottery Fund Interim Order and Directions 29 July to 30 September 2005 15 
			
			 Revisions to Principles of Selection for Listing Buildings: Planning Policy Guidance Note 15 Consultation Paper 25 July to 17 October 2005 126 
			
			 Big Lottery Fund's Transformational Grants Programme 8 March to 30 April 27 
			
			 A Giving Culture: Getting the best out of the relationship between the voluntary and community sector and DCMS 22 March to 22 June 2005 16 
			
			 The BBC Charter Review Green Paper'A Strong BBC, Independent of Government' 2 March to 1 May 2005 4000+ 
			
			 Understanding the Future: Museums and the 21st Century 27 January to 30 June 2005 75 
			 (1) On Prize Gaming.  (2 )On FEC.  (3) Approximately.

Departmental Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what  (a) surveys,  (b) questionnaires and  (c) other services were provided by polling companies for his Department in financial year 2007-08, broken down by company.

Margaret Hodge: The following table shows services provided to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport by polling companies for financial year 2007-08.
	
		
			   Services 
			  Polling  c ompany  Surveys  Questionnaires  Other 
			 BMRB 1. Taking Part 1. Taking Part 1. Taking Part data cleaning and analysis 
			  2. Omnibus survey for Olympics legacy 2. Questionnaire for Olympics legacy survey 2. Omnibus survey data and analysis 
			3. NetQuest development 
			 ORC International 1.DCMS Staff Survey  1. Analysis and presentation of DCMS staff survey data 
			  2. Non-departmental public body (NDPB) survey  2. Basic analysis of NDPB survey data

Departmental Research

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on research in each of the last three years, broken down by policy area or departmental division.

Margaret Hodge: Our records show the following research spends broken down by financial year and by departmental division.
	
		
			  Division  Research spend (000) 
			  Financial year 2005-06  
			 Arts 33 
			 Broadcasting 58 
			 Creative Industries 75 
			 Gambling (1)c.100 
			 Humanitarian Assistance 16 
			 Strategy 1,260 
			 Tourism 29 
			 Total 1,571 
			   
			  Financial year 2006-07  
			 Broadcasting 148 
			 Creative Industries 130 
			 Gambling 80 
			 Humanitarian Assistance 44 
			 Local, Communities and International 44 
			 Libraries 160 
			 Licensing 91 
			 Museums 29 
			 Olympics 23 
			 Sports 15 
			 Strategy 1,825 
			 Tourism 34 
			 Total 2,623 
			   
			  Financial year 2007-08  
			 Arts 45 
			 Heritage 29 
			 Licensing 97 
			 Olympics 114 
			 Strategy 1,540 
			 Tourism 15 
			 Total 1,840 
			 (1) Includes US$83,000 estimated as 46,000

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of his Department's staff took more than  (a) five,  (b) 10,  (c) 15,  (d) 20,  (e) 25,  (f) 30,  (g) 35 and  (h) 40 days leave due to stress in each of the last five years, broken down by pay grade.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested can only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, the percentage of stress-related sick leave taken by staff in the last three financial years is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage of sick leave 
			 2004-05 3 
			 2005-06 10.5 
			 2006-07 13 
		
	
	As part of our attendance, health and welfare programme for staff, we have a range of policies in place to reduce stress. These include: a stress management policy; a revised sickness absence policy; a full range of flexible working patterns to support work-life balance; an on-site gym and yoga classes.
	The Department also provides an Employee Assistance programme, which includes a confidential advisory service and counselling service for all staff.

Departmental Standards

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which of his Department's public sector agreement targets have been discontinued following his speech on 7 November 2007 at the Equity Diversity conference.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Public service agreements (PSAs) are agreed between Departments and HM Treasury as part of each spending review. Details of the most recent PSAs, agreed as part of comprehensive spending review 2007, were published in the CSR White Paper on 9 October 2007, copies of which are available in the House Library. As part of the CSR process the number of PSAs across Government was reduced from over a hundred to thirty. No PSAs have been discontinued following the 7 November 2007 speech by my right hon. Friend the Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell).

Departmental Telephone Services

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what  (a) 0800,  (b) 0845 and  (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public are in use by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to his Department.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Neither my Department nor the Royal Parks Agency has any 0800, 0845 or 0870 numbers for public use.

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times the Digital Radio Working Group taskforce has met in 2008; and how much has been spent on its administration since November 2007.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 1 April 2008
	The Digital Radio Working Group (DRWG) has met once in full session since November 2007. However, the DRWG has established four sub-groups to consider the following issues:
	Technology and Consumer Proposition;
	Spectrum;
	Manufacturers; and
	Mechanisms for Growth
	These sub-groups have met five times in total.
	My Department has spent approximately 4,500 directly on the work of the DRWG to date.

Digital Switchover Help Scheme

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to complete his assessment of the costs and benefits of upgrading his core research requirements for digital switchover help scheme freeview resources to include billing menus, billing channels and programme information; and when he plans to make a decision on this matter.

Andy Burnham: An Emerging Technologies Group (ETC) has been established as a sub-group of the Help Scheme's Policy Review Group, with a remit to keep the Core Receiver Requirements (CRR) for Scheme equipment under review.
	This review process will be ongoing throughout the lifetime of the Help Scheme, evaluating any technical developments in digital television provision. If the ETC believes that a particular technology should be included within the CRR, then it will make a recommendation to that effect to the Policy Review Group.
	The equipment for the Help Scheme already includes the ability to receive an Electronic Programme Guide, which enables programme information to be displayed on screen.

Disabled

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what targets his Department has set in relation to the employment of people with disabilities over the next five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has disability targets set across the civil service grades until the end of April 2008 as follows.
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 SCS 3.2 
			 A 3 
			 B 7 
			 C 3 
			 D 7 
		
	
	We are currently reviewing these targets for the next three years to ensure they are challenging to the Department.

English Heritage: Research

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the aims of the Hearth and Home research project by English Heritage are; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: English Heritage's Hearth and Home research project aims to compare the predictions from models with the actual performance of traditionally constructed homes in order to challenge the assertion that such buildings are inherently energy inefficient. The project will monitor the energy usage of a group of occupied Victorian terraced homes to work out best practice in measuring energy efficiency, to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of energy-saving options, and ultimately to provide guidance on measures to reduce domestic fuel usage and carbon emissions.

Euclid

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much he expects his Department to pay to Euclid in each of the next three years.

Margaret Hodge: My Department expects to pay Euclid 50,000 per year, for the next two years for its work as the UK's Cultural Contact Point (CCP) for the European Union's Culture Programme. The current CCP contract runs until December 2009. Euclid also holds the contract to promote the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue in the UK. The cost of this contract was a one-off payment of 10,000.

Film: Video Piracy

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he intends to introduce legislation to make the use of a video camera in a cinema a criminal offence.

Margaret Hodge: Camcording for commercial gain is already an offence under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, but the existing offences require proof of distributing or communicating. The distribution of illegally camcorded films is also an offence under a range of other legislation, including the Fraud Act 2006. We will be considering in consultation with the film industry what further action is necessary to address its concerns.

Film: Video Piracy

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the annual loss to the UK film industry as a result of intellectual property theft.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government's strategy for the creative sector Creative Britain: New Talents for the New Economy, published in February, states that the value of pirate audio-visual goods and illegal downloads in 2006 was 460 million. This reflects the findings of the 2006 British Video Association/IPSOS study.

Football: Insurance

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will bring forward proposals to require the Football Association to establish a national insurance scheme to cover injuries caused to one player by another player in matches organised by county football associations.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The FA currently has no plans to establish a county football association national insurance scheme.
	The FA reviewed this issue in 2006 and took the decision to make liability insurance mandatory for all affiliated clubs with effect from season 2007-08.
	The FA explored the possibility of a liability insurance scheme for all those participating in the national game below the FA Premier League, Football League and National League system levels 1 to 4. The scope of the insurance cover required by county associations was reviewed, and the FA says this confirmed that a centrally arranged scheme would be impracticable.
	The FA decided that county associations should comply with the implementation of mandatory public liability insurance, with the option to decide locally the level of cover and indemnity limits required.
	The review also included a tender process to identify insurance brokers prepared to offer county associations a range of public liability options including player to player cover.
	I intend to raise this issue with the FA at our next meeting.

Gambling: Advertising

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 86-87W, on gambling: advertising, if he will place in the Library a copy of the voluntary code.

Andy Burnham: I am arranging for copies of the Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Historic Buildings: Sustainable Development

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance and assistance is available from English Heritage on the use of renewable technology in buildings of historic importance.

Margaret Hodge: English Heritage has published guidance for home-owners on the application of small-scale renewable energy technologies to traditional buildings. A series of guides explains how each system works, how it can be installed without damaging the appearance, significance or performance of traditional buildings and provides guidance on sources of further information and assistance. To date, guidance on micro wind generation, small scale solar thermal and small scale solar electric (photovoltaic) energy in traditional buildings have been produced and are available on English Heritage's website at:
	www.english-heritage.org.uk
	Additional guides on low carbon systems will be published this year.
	English Heritage is launching a new website Climate Change and Your Home in June 2008 to provide information about how traditional buildings are likely to respond to climate change and provide advice on how any necessary adaptations, including energy savings measures, might be made.

JP Morgan

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department paid to JP Morgan in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each payment was.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department's records show there were no payments made to J P Morgan in each year since 1997.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the value was of each contract awarded by his Department to Karian and Box since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has not awarded any contracts to Karian and Box in the period specified.

Ofcom: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding his Department provided to Ofcom in each of the last three years; and for what purposes each payment was made.

Andy Burnham: DCMS has paid the following sums to Ofcom in each of the last three financial years in support of Ofcom work to promote Media Literacy and Community Radio.
	
		
			   
			   Media Literac y  Community Radio 
			 2005-06 559,000 444,026 
			 2006-07 559,000 828,775 
			 2007-08 559,000 466,215

Own Art Programme: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much he expects his Department to spend on  (a) the Own Art programme and  (b) the Take It Away instrument scheme in each of the next three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Own Art and Take It Away are Arts Council initiatives delivered through ArtCo Trading Ltd., for which funding has been agreed up to 2009-10.
	The Own Art scheme will receive grants of 300,000 in 2008-09 and 300,000 in 2009-10. The Take It Away scheme will receive grants of 700,000 in 2008-09 and 700,000 in 2009-10.

Recreation Spaces

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) athletics tracks,  (b) golf facilities,  (c) grass pitches,  (d) health and fitness suites,  (e) ice rinks,  (f) indoor bowls facilities,  (g) indoor tennis centres,  (h) ski slopes,  (i) sports halls,  (j) swimming pools and  (k) synthetic turf pitches listed on the Active Places website are (i) public and (ii) private facilities.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England's Active Places database does not collect data on sport facility types broken down by (i) public and (ii) private facilities.
	However, the database records ownership type of the requested sports facilities and this is provided in the table, as at November 2007.
	Ownership type does not necessarily equal access type, for example, although many educational facilities will be open to the public this will not be the case for all of them.
	
		
			   Local Authority  Education  Commercial  Others  Total 
			 Swimming Pools 1,699 1,095 1,694 126 4,614 
			 Sports Halls 1,202 6,527 158 483 8,370 
			 Grass Pitches 13,697 24,616 241 15,491 54,045 
			 Athletic Tracks 185 124 3 28 340 
			 Golf 264 42 1,534 1,131 2,971 
			 Health and Fitness 1,098 1,793 2,742 308 5,941 
			 Ice Rinks 16 1 22 3 42 
			 Indoor Bowls 107 8 88 147 350 
			 Indoor Tennis 43 33 142 74 292 
			 Ski Slopes 19 3 103 32 157 
			 Synthetic Turf Pitches 262 1,152 44 123 1,581 
			  Notes: General notes applied to ail facilities All facilities in England, which meet criteria (see following for specifics) are included; Facilities included according to Active Places definitions (see www.activeplace.com About the Data); All facilities that are open for use, by the public, this includes, pay and play, membership, club use and sports club / community association Facilities that are recorded for private use only are also included within the above figures, e.g. a school pool that is not open to the public All operational facilities are included within the above figures, including planned, under construction and temporarily closed. Facilities that are permanently closed are excluded.  Individual Notes on Facilities  Athletics Tracks Figures refer to number of tracks not sites (i.e. there may be more than one track on a site);  Golf Figures refer to number of golf facilities including standard, par 3 and driving ranges. For example a golf club site may have more than one facility, i.e. two standard courses and a driving range.  Grass Pitches Figures refer to count of individual pitches, not sites; Does not include primary school sites which have not been surveyed; Does not include mini soccer or rugby pitches; Excludes a number of sites where pitch type and numbers are yet to be classified; Pitch numbers are likely to vary season by season depending on management decisions; Unknown ownership types included in 'others'  Health and Fitness Figures refer to the number of facilities not sites or stations; Unknown ownership types included in 'others'  Ice Rinks Figures refer to number of rinks not sites (i.e. there may be more than one rink per site)  Indoor Bowls Figures refer to the number of facilities not sites or rinks;  Indoor Tennis Figures refer to counts of facilities and not individual courts, or sites; Figures include all surface types;  Swimming Pools Figures refer to the number of pools not sites; Includes both indoor and outdoor pools (all sub types); All sizes and length of pools are included Unknown ownership types included in 'others'  Ski Slopes Figures refer to the number of slopes not sites;  Synthetic Turf Pitches Figures refer to the count of pitches not sites.

Regional Cultural Consortiums: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department provided for Regional Cultural Consortia in 2007-08; and what funding will be provided in 2008-09.

Margaret Hodge: The figures in the table reflect the funding that the Department has provided for Regional Cultural Consortia in 2007-08, and the funding that will be provided in 2008-09.
	
		
			  000 
			  Regional Cultural Consortia  2007-08( 1)  2008-09 
			 Yorkshire Culture 230 215 
			 West Midlands Life 223 215 
			 Culture South East 230 215 
			 Culture East Midlands includes ISB funding 556 215 
			 Culture North West 230 215 
			 Culture South West 230 215 
			 Living East 230 215 
			 Culture North East 230 215 
			 (1) Allocations following the Spring Supplementary estimate 
		
	
	In addition to this, there is an agreement with the Regional Cultural Consortiums for funding amounting to 200,000 from DCMS in 2008-09, to take forward work on the Cultural Olympiad.

Sports: VAT

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on HM Revenue and Customs' decision to apply VAT at the standard rate retrospectively to inclusive membership packages offered by sports and leisure trusts; what representations he has received on the subject; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this subject, although as Minister for Sport I have held discussions with HMT and DCMS officials have been in regular contact with their counterparts at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). I have received a number of representations on the issue of VAT and its application in respect of leisure trusts. This included a meeting with Sporta, the leisure trust umbrella body, to hear their concerns. I have been assured by HMRC that there has been no recent change in policy on VAT and leisure trusts and that discussions have taken place, and will continue to take place as necessary, between HMRC and businesses and organisations. In relation to retrospective charges in particular I am informed that trusts who can show that they have misunderstood the tax position in relation to their services or have been misdirected by HMRC can ask for consideration to be given to remitting the retrospective tax.

Television: Licensing

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 12 November 2007,  Official Report, column 6W, on television: licensing, how many people in Northern Ireland were penalised for not having a valid television licence in 2007.

Andy Burnham: During 2007, 4,331 persons were convicted in Northern Ireland under section 363 (2) of the Communications Act 2003 for not having a television licence.

Tourism Strategy Fund: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his Department's planned expenditure on the Tourism Strategy Fund is for  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There is no planned expenditure for these years from the Tourism Strategy Fund, which is no longer a current DCMS budget.

VisitBritain: Property

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the average cost per square metre of  (a) stand alone VisitBritain offices outside the UK and  (b) VisitBritain offices incorporated in other Government offices abroad was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: As part of the strategic review of tourism support, VisitBritain is leading a discussion across the public and private sectors about the best use of the British Government's overseas offices and infrastructure in promoting the tourism industry. The review will include a full consideration of best value in the use of these assets, to that end.
	In advance of the review's findings, VisitBritain has advised DCMS that the costs of its stand-alone offices outside the UK are on average 17.63 per square foot; and that the average costs in the 11 locations where VisitBritain rents office space at embassy, high commission, or British Council premises are 30.71 per square foot. However the average cost figures do not reflect the particular circumstances of particular locations and it is therefore difficult to make accurate cost comparisons.
	Furthermore additional charges for administration and offices services are made in respect of British Council, high commission, and embassy locations, and these are not included in the above average figures.

World Heritage Review

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when his Department plans to publish the World Heritage Review; and what the cost of the review is expected to be.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 2 April 2008
	My Department will publish a public consultation on the World Heritage Review shortly. The public consultation will include a paper by PricewaterhouseCooper on the costs and benefits on World Heritage Site status; the cost of this work was 94,734.38 (including VAT). Additional staff costs have fallen to my Department but these are included in overall running costs and are not separately recorded.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department's records show there were no payments made to Zurich Financial Services in any year since 1997.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Advertising Standards Authority: Complaints

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many complaints were made against the Advertising Standards Authority in relation to the Mail Preference Service in each year since 2000.

Patrick McFadden: No complaints have been made against the Advertising Standards Authority in relation to the Mail Preference Service.

Biofuels

Patricia Hewitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what plans he has to promote the use of  (a) bio-diesel and  (b) other non-fossil fuels in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government introduced the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) on 15 April 2008. The RTFO requires a proportion of the road fuel supplied in the UK to comprise renewable fuels such as biofuels. The level of the obligation is 2.5 per cent. in 2008-09 and the eligible biofuels under the obligation includes biodiesel, bioethanol and biogas.

Biofuels: Carbon Emissions

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what  (a) evidence he has evaluated and  (b) what research he has commissioned, on the whole life carbon emission consequences of the replacement of fossil fuels with biofuels for power generation; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: There has been significant research in this area. DTI/BERR commissioned work up to 2003 from both Sheffield Hallam University and Imperial College. This aimed to produce a set of baseline energy and carbon balances for a range of electricity, heat and transport fuel production systems based on biomass feedstocks. The latest report is Carbon and Energy Balances for a range of Biofuels Options (URN 03/836) and can be viewed on the BERR website at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file14926.pdf?pubpdfdload=01%2F1342
	From 2003, this work was taken forward by the Environment Agency, where the Biomass Environmental Assessment Tool (BEAT) was developed three years ago to provide lifecycle emissions data for a variety of biomass feedstocks and plant, compared to fossil alternatives. In response to the recommendations of the Biomass Task Force, DEFRA and the Environment Agency jointly updated the BEAT to make it widely available and BEAT2 is now almost ready for release. Meantime present information can be seen at:
	http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=MenuModule=MoreLocation=NoneProjectID=14484FromSearch=YPublisher=1SearchText=nf0434SortString=ProjectCodeSortOrder=AscPaging=10#Description
	This analysis also underpinned the development of the Biomass Strategy in 2007 ref. Working Paper 1Economic analysis of biomass energy (URN 07/950) on the BERR website:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39040.pdf
	Elsewhere, the International Energy Agency under their Bioenergy Task 38 are investigating greenhouse gas balances of biomass fuelled systems:
	http://www.ieabioenergy-task38.org/description/
	and the UK Energy Research Centre has carried out life-cycle analysis of renewable energy systems:
	http://www.ukerc.ac.uk/AboutUs/AboutUSHomepage.aspx.
	The University of Aberdeen has also carried out work in this field:
	http://www.abdn.ac.uk/biologicalsci/staff/details.php?id=pete.smith
	and the Carbon Trust are presently looking at embodied emissions associated with per unit of energy from biomass, contrasting that to fossil fuel emissions:
	www.carbontrust.co.uk
	This is an area that will continue to be studied as the Government develop their Renewable Energy Strategy.

Carbon Emissions

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the contribution to the Government's target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by between 26 per cent. and 32 per cent. by 2020 to be made by the development of new nuclear power stations.

Malcolm Wicks: New nuclear power stations may not begin generating or contributing to our carbon reduction targets much more before 2020. We see new nuclear power stations as having a significant role to play from around 2020 onwards, in particular in reaching our goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by at least 60 per cent. by 2050.

Cars: Industry

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the likely future performance of the UK car industry; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: 2007 was a very successful year for the UK automotive industry with vehicle output up 6 per cent. on 2006. Over 1.75 million vehicles and around three million engines were manufactured in 2007, with 77 per cent. of cars and 61 per cent. of commercial vehicles being exported. Nissan's Sunderland plant, Honda manufacturing facility at Swindon, and MINI at Oxford produced record number of cars in 2007. At Solihull and Halewood, Land Rover achieved another record, with almost 235,000 vehicles manufactured. On 26 March 2008, Ford announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell Jaguar Land Rover to Tata Motors, providing the assurances needed to deliver the best results for the Jaguar Land Rover businesses going forward.
	These activities provide a solid foundation for the fixture. BERR will continue to work closely with the UK automotive industry to ensure its sustainability and success.
	Government are engaged on a number of initiatives aimed at building on its success and improving its performance. For example, in Budget 2008, Government announced a new 40 million research programme to support the development of low-carbon vehicle technology in response to the King Review of Low Carbon Cars.

Certification Officer: Labour Turnover

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people have  (a) resigned and  (b) retired from the Office of the Certification Officer in each year since it was established.

Patrick McFadden: Since the establishment of the Office of the Certification Officer in 1976 there have been five Certification Officers (COs), including the present incumbent. The first four COs left office on retirement.

Certification Officer: Manpower

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people have been employed by the Office of the Certification Officer in each year since it was established.

Patrick McFadden: The following table shows the number of people employed by the Office of the Certification Officer in each year since it was established. The Certification Officer holds no records for 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981.
	
		
			   Number of Staff 
			 1976 22 
			 1977 14 
			 1978 (2) 
			 1979 (2) 
			 1980 (2) 
			 1981 (2) 
			 1982 10 
			 1983 10 
			 1984 11 
			 1985 17 
			 1986 16 
			 1987 16 
			 1988 14 
			 1989 16 
			 1990 15 
			 1991 15 
			 1992 15 
			 1993 15 
			 1994 15 
			 1995 15 
			 1996 15 
			 1997 10 
			 1998 9 
			 1999-2000(1) 11 
			 2000-01 13 
			 2001-02 12 
			 2002-03 11 
			 2003-04 10 
			 2004-05 10 
			 2005-06 10 
			 2006-07 9 
			 2007-08 9 
			 (1) Reporting year for Certification Officer changed from calendar to financial year in 1999-2000 (2) No records available.

Construction: Manpower

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of construction operatives who have the employment status of  (a) workers,  (b) employees and  (c) genuine self-employed;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of construction operatives  (a) in direct employment and  (b) registered as self-employed.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	HM Revenue and Customs believes that there could be up to 200,000 workers in the construction industry who are incorrectly being treated by their engagers as self-employed. We estimate that the consequent Exchequer loss currently is around 350 million per annum. No estimates of the Exchequer loss for earlier years have been made.
	Information from the Office for National Statistics(1) for the 4(th) quarter of 2007 estimates that there are around 1,450,000 employees and around 850,000 self-employed working in the construction industry.
	(1) From the Labour Force Survey
	The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, collects no specific data on workers within the construction industry.

Energy: Fees and Charges

Albert Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent comparisons his Department has made between the cost to domestic energy users of  (a) mains gas and  (b) liquefied petroleum gas; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Comparison of the costs to heat a property are used in the modelling of fuel poverty and are sourced from the Sutherland Comparative Domestic Heating Cost tables, available through
	http://www.sutherlandtables.co.uk/.
	The latest figures are from October 2007 and show the following estimates of the costs of space and water heating for an average size three bedroom house:
	
		
			   
			  Heating fuel  Type of heating system  South-east  South-west and Wales  Midlands  Northern England  Scotland 
			 GasB.Gas two tier rate Boiler, radiators and DHW cylinder 682 653 698 728 754 
			  Condensing boiler, radiators and DHW cylinder 571 547 584 609 630 
			
			 LPG propane (bulk) Boiler, radiators and DHW cylinder 1,437 1,344 1,433 1,531 1,504 
			  Condensing boiler, radiators and DHW cylinder 1,189 1,113 1,186 1,266 1,245

Energy: Finance

Adam Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2008,  Official Report, column 334W, on renewable energy: finance, how much of the 500 million allocated to be spent from 2002 on research and development and capital grants for emerging renewable and low carbon technologies has been spent; what the allocation of the spend has been to different categories of project; and what projects have been supported under each category.

Malcolm Wicks: Spend so far (to end March 2008) under the programmes listed in the table, which were introduced at different points over the period, totals 233.5 million. All of these programmes except the Major PV Demonstration Programme and Clear Skies are projected to continue to spend during the CSR period and in some cases well beyond.
	Spend on the main programme activities are set out as follows. It has not been possible to provide a breakdown of the Clear Skies and R and D Programme spend by technology or projects supported under each category in the time available at proportionate cost.
	
		
			  Programme/technology  Spend to date (end 2007-08) ( million) 
			 Off shore wind capital grant programme 76.75 
			 Bioenergy capital grant programme 32.8 
			 Major PV Demonstration Programme 30.1 
			 Clear Skies (Micro wind, Biomass, Heat Pumps, Micro hydro, Solar Thermal Hot Water) 12.1 
			 Marine Renewable Deployment Fund 1.62 
			 Low Carbon Buildings Program Phase 1 (LCB) 7.5 
			 Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 2 (LCB) 1.9 
			 Hydrogen and Fuel Cells and Carbon Abatement Demonstration Programme (HFCAT) 0.20 
			 New and Renewables R and D programme/ Technology Programme 71 
			 Total 233.5

Flexible Working

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which of the recommendations of the Walsh Review of flexible working he plans to implement; and when he plans to implement them.

Patrick McFadden: Imelda Walsh, HR director of J Sainsbury plc, is in the process of leading an independent review to consider the questions of what the age cut-off of an older child should be for the purpose of extending the right to request flexible working to parents of older children; and whether that extension should be staged. Ms Walsh will make her recommendations this spring. The Government will then consult on how they intend to proceed.

Flexible Working

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress is being made on proposals to extend the right to flexible working to all parents with children under the age of 16 years.

Patrick McFadden: On 6 November last year, the Prime Minister announced that the Government have decided to extend the right to request flexible working to parents of older children. Imelda Walsh, HR director of J Sainsbury plc, was appointed to lead an independent review to consider the question of where the age cut-off of an older child should be set for this purpose. Imelda Walsh is expected to make her recommendations this spring.

Fraud: Internet

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether his Department has responsibility for tackling the use of the internet to conduct fraud; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: My Department does not have direct responsibility for law enforcement nor does it regulate the services provided by the hundreds of UK internet service providers. The general law on fraud applies by whatever means it is conducted, including over the internet.
	We are working closely with internet service providers to continue to develop practical measures to reduce the impact of harmful content, including the work they are doing to prevent fraud committed using the internet. The Office of Fair Trading, among others, provides advice to consumers on how better to protect themselves from such fraud.
	Last year, the Government pledged to provide over 28 million to fight fraud.
	The money will fund:
	A new National Fraud Strategic Authority.
	A Lead Force, centred on the City of London Police, as a centre of excellence to increase the UK's capability to investigate fraud and bring fraudsters to justice.
	A National Fraud Reporting Centre, hosted by the Lead Force, to streamline the way that fraud is reported and to make the best use of the intelligence gathered.
	Pilot projects to measure the impact and cost of fraud.
	Reforms to the criminal justice system to make sure that fraudsters are brought to justice and that victims are better able to get redress.
	The new powers enshrined in Part 3 of the Serious Crime Act will also will help provide the means to make the UK the most hostile environment for fraudsters.
	The UK's law enforcement authorities are also collaborating with police forces abroad to reduce the incidence of internet fraud being perpetrated in the UK from overseas.

Fuel Poverty: Inverness

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) households,  (b) children and  (c) pensioners were living in fuel poverty in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The Scottish House Condition Survey, run by the Scottish Government, collects data on fuel poverty but the sample size is too small to produce meaningful estimates at a level below local authority. No low level modelling of fuel poverty has been conducted by the Scottish Government.
	The following table shows estimates of the number of households in fuel poverty in the Highland Council region, the lowest geographical area at which it is produced, for each available year since 1997.
	
		
			  Fuel  p overty in the Highland Council  r egion 
			   Fuel  p oor  Not  f uel  p oor  
			   Thousand  Percentage  Thousand  Percentage  Total 
			 2002 20,000 22 70,000 78 89,000 
			 Combined 2003-06 29,000 29 70,000 71 99,000

Geothermal Power

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the potential thermal generation capacity of geothermal technologies in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Between 1976 and the early 1990s the UK carried out a major Geothermal Research Programme at a cost in excess of 50 million. The key conclusions from the programme were that the UK was unlikely to see major developments based upon geothermal aquifers or the hot dry rock (HDR) method due to a limited resource, limited scope for their application and unfavourable economics.
	The programme produced estimates of the potential geothermal resource for both HDR and aquifers. Its final report estimated the accessible HDR resource in the UK regardless of cost to be 1,500 Terawatt hours of electricity, that if exploited over 25 years would result in 60 TWh/year or 7,600 MW of net output power at 90 per cent. availability. However, once possible constraints were taken into account it estimated that the practicable HDR resource could be as low as 4 TWh/year or 500 MW over 375 years.
	A final report of the Geothermal Aquifers Programme estimated the UK resource for three temperature ranges:
	
		
			  Temperature range  Mtce (million tonnes coal equivalent) 
			 Over 60C 183 
			 40 to 60C 1771 
			 20 to 40C 2285 
		
	
	Although these figures are large the report estimated that the exploitable resource was much smaller when taking account of the coincidence of high heat load density and resource. It estimated that the possible take-up of the resource based on a total of 100 schemes being developed would produce a total saving of 0.35 Mtce per annum.
	To make geothermal power a more attractive economic prospect in the UK now would depend on addressing the technical and practical constraints identified by this previous Geothermal Programme.
	 Notes
	1. Geothermal Hot Dry Rock UK Government R and D Programme 1976-1991, ETSU-R-59, 1992
	2. Geothermal Aquifers Department of Energy R and D Programme 1976-1986, ETSU-R-39, 1986

Industrial Diseases: Compensation

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2008,  Official Report, column 329W, on industrial diseases: compensation, how many of the 3,021 claimants paid an award after 27 March 2004 were advised that they could make a claim for an award under the Pneumoconiosis etc Workers' (Compensation) Act 1979.

Malcolm Wicks: The 1979 Act is the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	It is not the role of the Department's claims handlers to advise on eligibility for an award under the Pneumoconiosis etc. Workers' (Compensation) Act 1979.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what representations his Department received from the renewable energy industry prior to the relaunch of the domestic stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department had a formal meeting with representatives of the microgeneration industry on 11 February 2008, and also had various discussions and correspondence with the industry around this time, both to discuss this issue and in the normal course of business.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what budget has been set for the domestic stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.

Malcolm Wicks: The Low Carbon Buildings programme has a 36 million budget of which 18 million is currently allocated for the household stream.

Mailing Preference Service: Complaints

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many complaints were made against the Mail Preference Service in each year since 2000.

Patrick McFadden: The number of complaints made to the Mail Preference Service in each year since 2000 are as follows:-
	
		
			   Number 
			 2000 795 
			 2001 633 
			 2002 1,637 
			 2003 1,636 
			 2004 3,675 
			 2005 4,668 
			 2006 4,847 
			 2007 4,173

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he will reply to the letter of 29 January 2008 from the hon. Member for Walsall North concerning a constituent.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 12 March 2008
	I apologise for the delay in responding to my hon. Friend. A response was sent on 31 March, I have arranged for a copy to be faxed to your office.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he expects a reply to be sent to the hon. Member for West Worcestershire in response to his letter of 21 December, Reference: PT/33280, transferred from his Department to Ofcom.

Gareth Thomas: The hon. Member's letter was transferred to Ofcom for response. Ofcom have advised that their reply was dispatched on 1 April.

Members: Correspondence

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Wycombe of 29 February 2008 on individuals registered in the UK in relation to businesses.

Gareth Thomas: I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member, this was due to an administrative error. A reply will be issued shortly.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he plans to reply to the letters of 28 January 2008 and 6 March 2008 from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford on his constituent Mr. J. Burrows.

Gareth Thomas: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding, this was due to an administrative error. A response from my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Employment Relations and Postal Services was sent on 15 April 2008.

Microgeneration: Solar Energy

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what  (a) assessment he has made of the complexity and  (b) estimate he has made of the cost of participation in the microgeneration certification scheme to solar technology suppliers interested in qualifying for the low carbon buildings programme.

Malcolm Wicks: The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) was designed in consultation with key stakeholders, including representatives of the solar thermal industry. MCS scheme standards and requirements have been set by an industry-led Steering Group and expert working groups. The scheme's principal objective is to provide information and assurance to consumers unfamiliar with these technologies, by ensuring that products and companies eligible for grants, meet more robust standards.
	MCS is working towards accreditation by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS), which, to an extent, places certain requirements on the scheme in order to comply with EN 45011. UKAS accreditation should help to deliver the quality and reliability that the Government and consumers want to see in the microgeneration market.
	UKAS is appointed in the UK to assess and accredit the activities of third party certification bodies against internationally agreed standards. The costs of certification under MCS are determined according to the same International Accreditation Forum guidelines used for other equivalent UKAS accredited schemes which operate in other industry sectors.
	As part of the development of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, the Department provided 350,000 to give 50 per cent. discounts to installer businesses during the first year (reducing first year costs to 900). Discounts have been offered to 250 Clear Skies/PV programme installers who applied before 31 January 2008. The remainder of the 350,000 has been allocated to support 139 new installers, on a first-come, first-served basis (with a 50 per cent. discount). Discounts are payable on successful completion of the MCS assessment. Further funding of 250,000 remains to be allocated, following discussions with the MCS Steering Group.
	After September 2008, MCS will be opened up to other certification bodies and the Department hopes to see further cost reductions coming from open competition.

National Minimum Wage: Migrant Workers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps HM Revenue and Customs has taken to implement the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission on prioritisation of targeted enforcement of the minimum wage in sectors employing significant numbers of immigrant workers.

Patrick McFadden: As recommended by the Low Pay Commission, we have chosen two sectors that employ large numbers of migrant workers and British workers for targeted enforcement. In 2007-08 we focused on the hotel sector. For 2008-09 we will be looking at the wider hospitality sector, which includes hotels, camping sites and other provision of short-stay accommodation, restaurants, bars, canteens and catering.

Natural Gas: Transport

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of households in the United Kingdom which pay additional charges to independent gas transporters for the supply of gas; and what estimate he has made of the average additional costs for this form of distribution;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the use of independent gas transporters for the distribution of gas supplies in the United Kingdom.

Malcolm Wicks: The decision to have a connection provided by an independent gas transporter (IGT) rather than the regional Gas Distribution Network rests with developers or individual householders. In January 2007, 840,000 domestic meter points were connected to IGT networks.
	The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) regulates gas transportation, distribution and supply. To promote connections as a whole, and competition in their provision, Ofgem previously allowed IGTs to levy a supplementary connection charge, recoverable over 20 years. Since 2003, to encourage more connections of existing domestic infill properties (that is, existing properties without a gas supply) to the mains gas network, IGTs have been able, under the Relative Price Control, to apply a surcharge on the transportation charge to such properties. Otherwise, the Relative Price Control for IGTs caps transportation charges at a level consistent with those of the Gas Distribution Networks. Around 580,000 customers already used networks regulated under previous arrangements. Relative Price Controls will be phased in for these customers.
	Once a connection has been made and the supply activated, households are not billed by transporters or distributors, whose charges are met by the gas supplier. It is for the supplier to decide whether or not to recover any additional element in the charge from the customer, or whether, for administrative simplicity, to apply a standard charge to all customers of IGT networks. Individual suppliers have different approaches, and it follows that the number of households that pay additional charges will depend on which supplier a household is contracted with at any one time. Neither British Gas nor Scottish and Southern Energy applies a surcharge to IGT customers; other suppliers' surcharges lie in the range 30-60 per IGT customer.

Nuclear Power

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what meetings he has held on nuclear power issues with  (a) trades unions and  (b) environmental non-governmental organisations since he took up his post; on what dates each meeting took place; and what decisions arose from each meeting.

Malcolm Wicks: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, hosted a round-table meeting on 17 September which was attended, among others, by the trade union Prospect and by the environmental non-governmental organisation, SERA. Other environmental groups were invited, but consistent with their decision to disengage from the nuclear consultation they chose not to attend.
	The meeting was part of the consultation on the future of nuclear power and it enabled my right hon. Friend to hear directly the views of key stakeholders on the issues. As the meeting was part of the consultation, the views expressed were considered by the Government, alongside all of the other information received, when making its decision on the future of nuclear power in the UK.
	My right hon. Friend also addressed a conference about nuclear power organised by the trade union Unite on 26 March 2008.

Nuclear Power

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what sites other than existing nuclear sites are under consideration for the potential development of new nuclear power stations.

Malcolm Wicks: It will be for companies to bring forward proposals to build new nuclear power stations. The suitability of sites will be assessed through the Strategic Siting Assessment process. We will be consulting on draft criteria for this process shortly.

Nuclear Power

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the timescale for new nuclear power stations to produce more electricity than is currently produced by existing nuclear power stations.

Malcolm Wicks: We are not setting a target, or a limit, to the amount of electricity to be generated in the future by new nuclear power stations.

Nuclear Power Stations

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make available resources to non-governmental organisations to assist in their participation in the consultation on the process for prospective new nuclear plants.

Malcolm Wicks: It is not our practice to make resources available to people or bodies outside Government to help them respond to consultations. However, we designed our consultation on nuclear power to make it as easy as possible for people who wanted to respond to do so.

Nuclear Power Stations: Carbon Emissions

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the likely carbon footprint of new nuclear power stations in the UK.

Malcolm Wicks: We published information on the full lifecycle emissions of carbon dioxide from the generation of electricity by nuclear power in chapter 2 of our consultation document The Future of Nuclear Power at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39197.pdf
	Following our consultation, we published a summary of responses received and our conclusion on pages 48 to 53 of our White Paper on Nuclear Power at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/nuclear-whitepaper/page42765.html

Nuclear Power Stations: Construction

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to his Oral Answer of 3 April 2008,  Official Report, columns 903-04, on the nuclear industry, if he will place in the Library a copy of the analysis which underlay his estimate of new jobs which will be created through spending on new nuclear power.

Malcolm Wicks: The Secretary of State's statement that a significant expansion of nuclear in the UK in the coming decades could potentially create up to 100,000 jobs was based on the experience of jobs created from past nuclear construction in the UK and in other countries. This includes jobs in the nuclear power stations, off site jobs for corporate, business, maintenance and fuel cycle functions, construction jobs, and jobs in the engineering and construction supply chains.

Nuclear Power: Employment

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the evidential basis is for his estimate, made at the UNITE conference on 28 March 2008, that up to 100,000 new skilled jobs could be created by a new nuclear programme.

Malcolm Wicks: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said that a significant expansion of nuclear in the UK in the coming decades could potentially create up to 100,000 jobs, thousands of which would be highly skilled and well paid. That estimate was based on experience of jobs created from past nuclear construction in the UK and in other countries, and includes jobs in the nuclear power stations, off site jobs for corporate, business, maintenance and fuel cycle functions, construction jobs, and jobs in the engineering and construction supply chains.

Nuclear Power: Employment

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of new jobs which will be created in a programme of new build nuclear power stations by  (a) 2010,  (b) 2015,  (c) 2020 and  (d) 2025.

Malcolm Wicks: The timetable of facilitative actions in our Nuclear White Paper is intended to deliver a framework that would enable energy companies to begin construction of the first new nuclear power station in 2013-14 and start operation in 2017-20. We believe that a programme of new nuclear power stations has the potential to create many thousands of jobs but it is not possible to be precise about timing.

Nuclear Power: Safety

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will ask the Chief Nuclear Safety Inspector at the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate to evaluate the safety of the use of diamond nanoparticles in the secondary cooling system of water cooled reactors.

Malcolm Wicks: The possible use of this technology in a commercial power reactor seems some years off. Should any present or future nuclear operator in the UK propose modifying the reactor coolant in this way, the safety implications would need to be fully justified in a safety case, and this would be considered by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate according to its regulatory processes.

Nuclear Power: Safety

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what additional resources will be required to fulfil the commitments on nuclear regulatory co-operation set out in the UK-France Summit communiqu of 27 March.

Malcolm Wicks: The French and UK nuclear safety regulating authorities announced enhanced co-operation on 27 March. It is not intended that any additional resource will be allocated to this collaborative work in the short term, although this will be reviewed regularly to ensure that maximum benefit is being gained from the relationship.

Nuclear Power: Uranium

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the future availability of uranium reserves; and how long they are expected to last according to  (a) high and  (b) low global growth scenarios for nuclear new build.

Malcolm Wicks: As stated on pages 104 to 106 of our Nuclear White Paper, our view is that uranium resources will be available for the period likely to be covered by the operation of new nuclear power stations in the UK and that more focused exploration will lead to increased availability over time.

Post Offices: Closures

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment has been made of the traditional Post Office functions which are now undertaken remotely, online or other than by post office branches.

Patrick McFadden: The Post Office is one of a number of ways to deliver Government and other traditional services and still has an important role to play. But we cannot ignore the fact that people increasingly want to access services in different ways such as direct debits, ATMs, the telephone and the internet.

Post Offices: Closures

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what advice his Department plans to provide to communities who wish local authorities to take over the running of post offices facing closure.

Patrick McFadden: Where a local authority is interested in funding continued post office service provision in communities where branches are scheduled for closure, we have encouraged Post Office Ltd. to talk to them. However, local authorities should understand that Post Office Ltd. will want to ensure that all relevant costs are covered, that there is a commitment for several years and that there will not be a damaging impact on other post offices in the area not scheduled for closure. Ultimately, it is for Post Office Ltd. and the local authority to discuss and agree the details of any such arrangements and to ensure that the arrangements are compatible with EU rules on state aid.

Post Offices: Closures

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will request Post Office Ltd not to proceed with its proposed changes to the post office structure; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: Following a national public consultation, the Government announced in May 2007 a new framework of minimum access criteria to maintain a national network of post offices and to support strategic changes to the network with up to 2,500 compensated closures and 500 new outreach locations. There is widespread recognition that the post office network was unsustainable at its pre-programme size. Post Office Ltd is responsible for implementing the network change programme and management of the programme is an operational matter for the company. The network change programme is continuing as scheduled.

Post Offices: Closures

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  how many post office franchises are due contractually to terminate in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what conditions are contained in leases associated with franchise agreements to run post offices should lessees not maintain a post office function on the estate for the duration of the lease agreement; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many post office franchisees have given notice to terminate their agreement  (a) prior to the end of the franchise contract and  (b) at the end of the franchise contract in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  how many lessees of Post Office Ltd freehold estates have triggered a call option requiring the landlord to sell the revisionary estate to the lease; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether at the termination of a post office franchise agreement the leasehold on that estate automatically reverts to the freeholder; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many franchised post offices had franchises that were terminated at the end of the franchise agreement  (a) by the franchisor, Post Office Ltd., and  (b) by the franchisee in each year since 2001.

Patrick McFadden: These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  how many post office leases include a call option requiring the landlord to sell the revisionary estate to the lease; whether that is triggered on lease termination; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what conditions are contained in franchise agreements to run post office facilities that trigger the early termination of the property lease agreement should those facilities not be maintained; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  whether at the time a post office franchise agreement is terminated, any leasehold agreement on that estate similarly terminates, even if held by a different organisation, individual or legal entity than the franchise; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what conditions are contained in franchise agreements to maintain running post offices on an estate where the lease is a different organisation, individual or legal entity than the franchise.

Patrick McFadden: These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Subsidies

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what level of subsidy will be available to the Post Office network after 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: In its response to the national consultation on the post office network in May 2007, the Government recognised that further funding will be required beyond 2011 as parts of the network can never be commercial. They also concluded that it would be premature to make a judgment about what level of funding would be required after 2011 given the changes planned for the network in the intervening period.

Postal Workers: Dog Attacks

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what his analysis is of the performance of the Health and Safety Executive's record of monitoring Royal Mail's dog attack procedure; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has to review the Royal Mail dog attack procedure; what discussions he has had with  (a) Royal Mail,  (b) the Communication Workers Union and  (c) other organisations about reviewing the Royal Mail dog attack procedure; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: Compliance with Health and Safety rules is an operational matter for Royal Mail management. Royal Mail takes dog attacks on post men and women very seriously and has developed procedures to ensure that its staff are not put at risk of attack while delivering the post.

Regional Development Agencies

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the  (a) (i) pay and (ii) non-pay administration and  (b) estate costs of each regional development agency were in each year since 2000-01.

Patrick McFadden: For question  (a) (i) pay and (ii) non-pay administration, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1076W.
	For question  (b) estate costs of each RDA, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 20 February 2008,  Official Report, column 722W. Information for 2000-01 and 2001-02 is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Regional Development Agencies

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what properties each regional development agency (RDA) owns; how many RDA-employed staff are located at each such property; what the square footage of space available at each is; and what estimate has been made of the value of each such property.

Patrick McFadden: The regional development agencies own a range of properties for various purposes including redevelopment for the regeneration and economic growth of the region.
	RDA staff are mostly housed in leased accommodation.
	The information has been placed in the Library.

Renewable Energy: Housing

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many renewable energy systems have been installed on or in UK dwellings in each year since 2000.

Malcolm Wicks: These numbers are not routinely collected through any one source, and we cannot provide yearly figures for anything except installations funded through Government grants.
	Research commissioned by the DTI in 2005 on the Potential for Microgeneration found that in 2004 there were approximately 82,000 microgeneration installations in the UK. We have recently commissioned further research to update this work which is due to be completed by spring 2008.
	The final Report on the Potential for Microgeneration can be viewed on:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/sustainable/microgeneration/index.html

Solar Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the UK's global position in the construction of integrated solar photovoltaics; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Since 2000, the Government have supported the UK Solar PV industry with over 35 million in capital grants and field trials and currently Solar PV installations receive capital grants through the 86 million Low Carbon Buildings programme. There are a number of wider measures supporting Solar PV including grants for RD through the Technology Programme. As a result the UK Solar PV industry has strengths in the design and manufacture of building integrated products.
	More information on how PV development in the UK compares with developments at an international level is available on the International Energy Agency website:
	http: //www.iea-pvps.org

Solicitors

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to his Department's written evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on Coal Health Compensation Schemes (HC350, EV17), what the equivalent figures are for each firm of solicitors listed for total  (a) debt,  (b) recovered debt and  (c) outstanding debt at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Malcolm Wicks: With respect to the Public Accounts Committee report on Coal Health Claims, the following table shows how much claimants' representatives owed the Department, the amount that has been recovered from them and amount outstanding to be recovered for the cost for processing claims under the 'fast track' Optional Risk Offer Schemes, as at 31 March 2008. Outstanding debts are due to be repaid by 30 May 2008.
	
		
			   million 
			  Claimants'  r epresentatives  Total  d ebt (including interest)  Total  d ebt  r ecovered (incl. offset and write off)  Total  d ebt outstanding 
			 Thompsons 5.2 5.2 0.0 
			 Beresfords 14.0 10.2 3.8 
			 Hugh James 5.8 5.8 0.0 
			 Raleys 5.4 5.4 0.0 
			 Browell Smith and Co. 4.2 4.2 0.0 
			 Mark Gilbert Morse 1.2 1.2 0.0 
			 Avalon (1) 8.7 5.2 3.4 
			 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 2.4 0.2 2.2 
			 Watson Burton LLP 2.5 2.5 0.0 
			 Graysons Solicitors 1.8 1.8 0.0 
			 Total (2) 51.1 41.7 9.4 
			 (1) A modified repayment schedule has been agreed with Avalon. (2) Figures do not always add up due to rounding.

Targeted Advertising Technology

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the implications for personal privacy of the use of targeted advertising technology by companies;
	(2)  whether he has had discussions with BT on its use of targeted advertising technology.

Malcolm Wicks: The Office of the Information Commissioner made a statement on 3 March 2008 that it was in discussion with one company about the nature of its service and the way it uses information about ISP customers. My Department will consider the continued relevance of the current safeguards and legislation in the light of the outcome of those discussions. I have had no discussions with BT on this matter.

Telephones: Fees and Charges

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he plans to respond to the Ofcom report on the extra charges imposed on those paying for telephonic use who choose not to use direct debit.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 20 March 2008
	Additional charges levied by communications providers on their customers' bills are a matter for the regulator and not the Government, and have been addressed by Ofcom's review. Because of the widespread concern about extra charges, such as not paying bills by direct debits, Ofcom is currently consulting on its review of additional charges and the introduction of new guidance for communications providers who levy such charges on consumers. The consultation process will end on 8 May 2008.
	Ofcom is then proposing to allow three months for companies to bring their contract terms and marketing material into line with the guidance. It will also publish a checklist for customers on what to look out for before they sign on the dotted line.

Union Modernisation Fund

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 407-8W, to the hon. Member for Chichester, on the union modernisation fund, if he will publish any declarations of political activity made by each of the members of the Independent Supervisory Board.

Patrick McFadden: At the time of their appointment, the members of the Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board declared the following interests:
	Bill Connor declared that he had spoken on behalf of a party or candidate and canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at election (for the Labour party);
	Adrian Askew declared that he had held office such as Chair, Treasurer or Secretary of a local branch of a party and canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at election (for the Labour party);
	William Brown declared no political activity;
	Danny Carrigan declared that he had canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at election and a member of the National Executive Committee (for the Labour party);
	Jeannie Drake declared that she had canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at election and a member of the Labour Party National Policy Forum (for the Labour party);
	Judith Hackett declared no political activity(1)(;)
	David Metcalfe declared that he had canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at election and undertaken any political activity which is considered relevant (for the Labour party)(1)(;)
	Bruce Warman declared no political activity.
	(1)Has since resigned from the Board

HEALTH

Abortion: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinics are registered to perform abortions in Gloucestershire; and whether they receive public funding to carry out these procedures.

Dawn Primarolo: There are no clinics in Gloucestershire approved by the Secretary of State for Health to perform abortions. National health service hospitals do not require approval to perform abortions.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what opinion surveys have been conducted by  (a) his Department and  (b) the NHS, on the views of (i) general practitioners, (ii) hospital doctors, (iii) nurses and (iv) allied medical professionals on the outcomes of hospital reconfigurations which involved the downgrading of blue light accident and emergency facilities.

Ann Keen: Proposals for the reconfiguration of services are a matter for the national health service locally, working in conjunction with clinicians, patients and other stakeholders.
	The Department has not conducted an opinion survey relating to the reconfiguration of accident and emergency facilities and does not collect data relating to individual surveys which may have been conducted by the local NHS.

Alliance Boots: Finance

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department paid to Alliance Boots Ltd. in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each such payment was.

Ben Bradshaw: The Departments financial records only go back to April 2001 and they show that no payments have been made to Alliance Boots Ltd. for the period April 2001 to March 2008.

Antidepressants: Prescriptions

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will  (a) undertake an evaluation of the effectiveness of and  (b) issue new guidance on prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants.

Dawn Primarolo: A review of the safety of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) by the Government's expert working group on the safety of SSRIs was published in December 2004 and updated prescribing advice has been issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as new information has become available. Most recently, a summary of the current regulatory position with respect to SSRIs was released by the MHRA on 6 March 2008 and copies have been placed in the Library.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published its clinical guideline on depression, 'Management of Depression in Primary and Secondary Care', in December 2004. NICE plans to review its guidance in December 2008.

Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry: Finance

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department paid to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each such payment was.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department's financial records only go back to April 2001 and they show that no payments have been made to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry for the period April 2001 to March 2008.

Byotrol: Finance

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department paid to Byotrol in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each such payment was.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department's financial records only go back to April 2001 and they show that no payments have been made to Byotrol for the period April 2001 to March 2008.

Cardiovascular System: Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the criteria are for assessing someone as being at  (a) low,  (b) moderate and  (c) high risk as a result of a vascular risk assessment as referred to in Putting Prevention First.

Ann Keen: In terms of assessing personal risk following a vascular risk assessment, a person would be classified at high risk with the presence of one or more of the following:
	over 20 per cent. cardiovascular risk;
	high cholesterol ratio (ie TC:HDL greater than six);
	diagnosis of hypertension (high blood pressure) according to Joint British Societies' guidelines on the prevention of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice;
	detected to have impaired glucose regulation (pre-diabetes).
	At moderate risk with the presence of one or more of the following and without any of the high risk factors:
	insufficient physical activity;
	obese; and/or
	smoker;
	and at low risk in the absence of any of the high or medium risk factors detailed.

Cardiovascular System: Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the costs associated with the vascular risk assessment programme, as proposed in Putting Prevention First; and what proportion of that cost he estimates will arise from (i) the risk assessment process and (ii) consequent interventions.

Ann Keen: We estimate the costs associated with the vascular risk assessment programme will be in the order of 250 million per annum once the programme reaches full implementation. Of this, an estimated 10 to 15 per cent. is the cost of the risk assessments themselves (ie the cost of the work force time and laboratory tests required for the assessment). The remainder of the costs will fund the consequent interventions.

Cardiovascular System: Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the difference between take-up rates by men and women of vascular risk assessments.

Ann Keen: In modelling the proposed systems of vascular checks we have a 75 per cent. uptake for both men and women. There is no relevant reliable data on likely differences in gender uptake. In working with stakeholders on how best to implement and deliver the policy, we will look at ways of ensuring the highest take up amongst all sections of the population between the ages of 40 and 74.

Cardiovascular System: Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what risk assessment tool his Department used in modelling the effects of the proposed vascular risk assessment programme, published in Putting Prevention First.

Ann Keen: The risk assessment tool used to assess for cardiovascular risk (ie coronary heart disease and stroke) was Qrisk. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is publishing guidelines on lipid modification later this year and these will be considered once their recommendations are available. We are currently refining the risk assessment tool for diabetes. In modelling a system of vascular checks, we have used the FINDRISC questionnaire to identify people who should go on to have their blood glucose measured. To assess risk for chronic kidney disease we are using a high blood pressure reading.

Care Homes: Inspections

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place a copy of the Commission for Social Care Inspection's code of practice for inspectors of care homes in the Library.

Ivan Lewis: We have been informed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that it does not have a specific code of practice for inspectors. CSCI issues a set of employment standards which apply to all staff, not just inspectors. There are eight standards:
	anti-fraud and corruption policy;
	corporate conduct;
	employee relations;
	gifts and hospitality;
	information and communication technology security policy;
	organisational change;
	redundancy policy; and
	valuing diversity.
	Copies of the Standards have been placed in the Library.

Care Homes: North East

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) private,  (b) public and  (c) voluntary sector care homes for the elderly in the North East were subject to regulation and inspection by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: Information on the numbers of care homes active in the North East region and subject to regulation and inspection by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) since 2002-03 is shown in the following table.
	Homes are not registered by CSCI as, for example, care homes for older people. CSCI inspectors will decide at the time of an inspection whether to inspect a home against the national minimum standards (NMS) for care homes for older people or vulnerable adults. This decision is based on the age profile of the occupants of the home.
	The figures in the following table are the number of homes active at the end of each financial year that had been inspected against the standards for older people (though not necessarily during the year in question).
	
		
			  Number of care homes active at end financial year (31 March) in the CSCI  N orth  E ast  r egion inspected against national minimum standards for care homes for older people 
			   Financial year 
			  Type of ownership  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Local authority 29 61 54 47 41 
			 National health service  1 1 1 1 
			 Other 1 2 2 2  
			 Private 434 483 495 481 476 
			 Voluntary 32 39 37 36 40 
			 Total 496 586 589 567 558 
			  Source: CSCI registration and inspection database.

Child Health

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of the appendices to the Child Health Interim Application Options Appraisal Process final report.

Ben Bradshaw: The following appendices have been placed in the Library: 1; 2; 3; 5; 6; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 14; 15 and 16. It is not possible to publish appendices 4, 7, 13 and 17 because approval was not granted by the suppliers of the information, as the documents are commercially sensitive.

Childbirth

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 13-14W, on childbirth, what the  (a) terms of reference and  (b) timetable of the national perinatal epidemiology unit's programme of reviews are; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit is conducting the programme of systematic reviews referred to in my previous answer in line with a research proposal that has been peer reviewed and agreed with the Department. The primary aim is to make best use of existing national and international research evidence to identify the key interventions that are most likely to contribute to meeting the 2010 infant mortality target and, in the longer term, to improving maternal and child health and a sustainable reduction in health inequalities. The reviews will also help identify evidence gaps where there is a need for new research.
	The work runs until September 2009, and the research team will provide outputs on a staged basis during the life of the project. Review outputs will cover generic public health interventions as well as the major medical causes of infant mortality. The research team have appointed a multi-disciplinary advisory group to support the work.

Children: Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the likely cost of introducing mandatory weighing and measuring of all children in England in each year.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has no intentions to introduce mandatory weighing and measuring of all children in England in each year, and has therefore not estimated the likely cost of a mandatory programme. Furthermore, we do not intend to make it mandatory for children or parents to participate in the current programme of weighing and measuring pupils in reception year and year six.

Chlamydia

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed with chlamydia in each year since 1997-98; and what proportion in each year were  (a) men and  (b) women.

Dawn Primarolo: Table 1 shows the number of uncomplicated chlamydia infections diagnosed in genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics in England from 1997 to 2006, by sex. Table 2 shows the percentage of uncomplicated chlamydia infections diagnosed in men and women in GUM clinics in England from 1997 to 2006.
	The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) does not undertake diagnostic testing as it provides screening to asymptomatic people in England. Table 3 shows the number of positive chlamydia screens by sex among those aged 13 to 24 years who were screened for chlamydia as part of the NCSP during the period 2003-07. Table 4 shows the proportion of male and female of the positive screens among those aged 13 to 24 years as part of the NCSP for the period 2003-07.
	
		
			  Table 1: The number of uncomplicated chlamydia infections diagnosed in GUM clinics in England, by sex, 1997-2006 
			   Men  Women  Total 
			 1997 16,180 22,659 38,839 
			 1998 18,937 24,975 43,912 
			 1999 21,776 29,184 50,960 
			 2000 26,579 34,791 61,370 
			 2001 29,562 38,618 68,180 
			 2002 34,331 43,786 78,117 
			 2003 37,996 47,520 85,516 
			 2004 42,681 50,267 92,948 
			 2005 45,155 50,775 95,930 
			 2006 48,863 50,367 99,230 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: The proportion of uncomplicated chlamydia infections diagnosed in men and women in GUM clinics in England; 1997-2006 
			  Percentage 
			   Men  Women 
			 1997 42 58 
			 1998 43 57 
			 1999 43 57 
			 2000 43 57 
			 2001 43 57 
			 2002 44 56 
			 2003 44 56 
			 2004 46 54 
			 2005 47 53 
			 2006 49 51 
			  Notes:  1. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are for diagnoses made in GUM clinics only. Diagnoses made in other clinical settings, such as general practice, are not recorded in the KC60 dataset.  2. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are the number of diagnoses made, not the number of patients diagnosed. Individual patients may have more than one diagnosis in a year.  3. The information provided has been adjusted for missing clinic data.  4. Data are not yet available for 2007. . Data are collected by calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of positive chlamydia screens by sex, NSCP, 2003-07 
			   Unknown/Not specified  Male  Female  Total 
			 2003-04 0 157 1,599 1,756 
			 2004-05 0 918 5,866 6,784 
			 2005-06 0 2,023 8,980 11,003 
			 2006-07 20 3,439 12,539 15,998 
			 2007-08(1) 31 4,347 14,166 18,544 
			 All years 51 10,884 43,150 54,085 
			 (1) Data are available for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 December 2007. Data as at 27 February 2008.   Source:  The Health Protection Agency (HPA)NCSP Core Dataset. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Proportion of males and females who were screened and tested positive and the total number of positive chlamydia screens as part of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme: 2003-07 
			   Proportion (percentage) positive male  Proportion (percentage) positive female  Total number positive( 1) 
			 2003-04 9 91 1,756 
			 2004-05 14 86 6,784 
			 2005-06 18 82 11,003 
			 2006-07 22 78 15,978 
			 2007-08(2) 23 77 18,513 
			 All years 20 80 54,034 
			 (1) Total number screened excluding screens with sex marked as unknown, unspecified, or missing.  (2) Data are available for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 December 2007. Data as at 27 February 2008.   Notes:  1. The data from the NCSP Core Dataset are for positive chlamydia screens made outside of GUM clinics only and include positive screens made by the Boots pathfinder project.  2. The data available from the NCSP are the number of positive screens made and not the number of patients who tested positive.  3. The data include those aged 13 to 24 only.  4. The NCSP began screening on 1 April 2003.  5. The data are specific to the financial year 1 April to March: 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.  6. The increase in number of positive chlamydia screens each year may also be due to an increase in screening volumes.   Source:  The HPANCSP Core Dataset.

Chlamydia: Information Services

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which national information resources on the subject of chlamydia were produced by  (a) his Department and  (b) his Department's arm's length bodies in each year since 1997; what the date of publication or release was of each; what the cost to the public purse of producing these resources was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Expenditure since 1997 on sexual health campaigns is in the following table. It is not possible to separate resources on chlamydia specifically from the overall programme of work. This work includes prevention of sexually transmitted infections, HIV public education, contraception awareness and public helplines.
	
		
			million 
			 1997-98 4.7 
			 1998-99 4.8 
			 1999-2000 6 
			 2000-01 4.6 
			 2001-02 4.6 
			 2002-03 6.6 
			 2003-04 6.6 
			 2004-05 6.6 
			 2005-06 5.12 
			 2006-07 11.25 
			 2007-08 (1)10.25 
			 (1) Provisional figure.

Chlamydia: Screening

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the National Chlamydia Screening programme invited feedback from local and regional networks on men's perceptions and experiences of chlamydia screening, as stated in the Health Protection Agency's Men too... strategy; what feedback has been received; from which networks; for how long he plans the programme of inviting feedback to continue; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps the National Chlamydia Screening programme is supporting at a local level to  (a) raise men's awareness of chlamydia screening,  (b) address men's concerns about the chlamydia screening process and  (c) dispel misconceptions about the screening process amongst men, as described in the Health Protection Agency's Men too... strategy;
	(3)  what progress the Health Protection Agency has made in reviewing existing  (a) practice and  (b) evidence to determine the best ways of engaging young men in chlamydia screening, as stated in the Health Protection Agency's Men too... strategy;
	(4)  what progress the Health Protection Agency has made in developing  (a) background information,  (b) guidance and  (c) a toolkit for local use, as described in the Health Protection Agency's Men too... strategy; when he plans each of these resources to become available; which parties the Health Protection Agency is consulting on developing the resources; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  which  (a) individuals,  (b) organisations and  (c) other parties the Health Protection Agency is consulting in order to further develop the steps proposed in the Health Protection Agency's Men too... strategy;
	(6)  what assessment he has made of the extent to which local NHS organisations include provision for equal access for men and women to chlamydia screening in their gender equality schemes.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Chlamydia Screening programme (NCSP) published the Men too Strategy in November 2007 in response to the variation observed in the proportion of men screened in the local Chlamydia Screening programmes. All chlamydia screening offices (CSOs) have been made aware of the need to address the issue of equitable access to screening.
	Discussions on ways to increase uptake amongst men have been undertaken at a number of region-wide chlamydia screening co-ordinator networks. Work in relation to identifying interventions supporting male engagement and the success of each activity is underway through consultation with local Chlamydia Screening programmes. This feedback will be collated to inform a working group which has been convened to advise and steer the implementation of the Men too Strategy later in 2008.
	The working group includes representatives from the Men's Health Forum; a men's health promotion specialist from a primary care trust (PCT); a sexual health network director, who commissions and facilitates sexual health service provision; the chief executive of Brook, the young persons sexual health service; and a CSO coordinator.
	Work in relation to men's perceptions and experiences has been discussed by the working group but no formal study of this has commenced yet.
	Work on background information and guidance is in the early stages of development. These will be published in the form of a toolkit planned for launch in November 2008.
	To date, examples of local initiatives include the Greater Manchester strategy to use sport to engage male participation in screening. In partnership with both Oldham Athletic Football Club and Oldham Rougheyeds Rugby Team, targeted sexual health education and chlamydia screening of the playing staff is being undertaken followed by a mass screening event for fans on match day. Chlamydia information and promotion of screening will be included in match day programmes for four weeks prior to the screening event.
	Other relevant work includes participation in the forthcoming Men's Health Week in June 2008. This week will have a focus on the workplace and will provide an opportunity to raise awareness, address men's concerns and dispel misconceptions about the chlamydia screening process. There will also be engagement with key media organisations whose target audience is young men.
	Access to screening for men is monitored quarterly by the Health Protection Agency by measuring at PCT and local programme level the proportion of screens that are taken up by men. These figures are currently fed back quarterly to the programme areas. These figures will be available on the NCSP website later this year.

Chlamydia: Screening

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets he expects to set for primary care trusts for chlamydia screening in 2008-09; and how much central funding was given to the NHS for chlamydia screening in each year since 1997-98.

Dawn Primarolo: In National Planning Guidance, primary care trusts (PCTs) have been asked to plan to screen 17 per cent. of their population aged 15-24 for chlamydia in 2008-09.
	Funding to the national health service for chlamydia screening has been allocated as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2002-03 1.5 
			 2003-04 4.9 
			 2004-05 4.6 
			 2005-06 12 
		
	
	From 2006-07, funding to support chlamydia screening was not allocated separately to PCTs but is contained within the mainstream revenue allocations made to PCTs. The 2006-07 and 2007-08 revenue allocations to PCTs separately identified 211 million in 2006-07 and 342 million in 2007-08, around half of the 1 billion promised to support implementation of the Choosing Health White Paper. For the two years covered by this allocation, a total of 70 million was identified nationally to invest in chlamydia screening.
	From 2008-09 this funding has been included in PCT baselines. It is the responsibility of PCTs to commission the health services they need to meet the health requirements of the local populations they serve.

Chlamydia: Screening

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) monitoring and  (b) evaluation of measures to support equitable access to chlamydia screening (i) his Department and (ii) the Health Protection Agency has undertaken in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Chlamydia Screening Programme is undertaking research, to explore the relationship between deprivation, screening volumes and chlamydia positivity. The work will be used to develop an evaluation process that can be used to improve equitable access to the screening programme.

Chlamydia: Screening

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of screens for chlamydia undertaken in the most recent year for which figures are available were in  (a) men and  (b) women, broken down by chlamydia screening programme area.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) screens for asymptomatic chlamydia outside of genito-urinary medicine services.
	Table one shows the number of chlamydia screens among those aged 13-24 years broken down by sex and programme area for England, as part of the NCSP for the period 1 April 2006 to 31March 2007. Table two shows the proportion male and female who were screened for chlamydia by programme area, among those aged 13-24 years as part of the NCSP for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007.
	
		
			  Table One: Number of screens by sex and NCSP programme area for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 
			  Programme area  Unknown/not specified  Males  Females  Total 
			 Ashfield 0 13 15 28 
			 Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Luton (1) 453 1,556 (1) 
			 Berkshire East 0 1,201 1,444 2,645 
			 Birmingham 0 780 5,956 6,736 
			 Bournemouth and Poole (1) 234 459 (1) 
			 Bradford and Airedale 0 181 867 1,048 
			 Brent and Harrow 0 500 1,753 2,253 
			 Brighton 0 1,001 4,735 5,736 
			 Buckinghamshire 0 (1) 11 (1) 
			 Cambridge and Peterborough 0 458 1,048 1,506 
			 Camden and Islington 0 246 3,158 3,404 
			 Central Lancashire 0 176 1,202 1,378 
			 City and Hackney 0 0 (1) (1) 
			 Cornwall 0 2,787 5,289 8,076 
			 Coventry 0 345 1,563 1,908 
			 Cumbria 0 0 (1) (1) 
			 Dorset 0 362 232 594 
			 Durham and Teeside 0 3,797 3,335 7,132 
			 East Cheshire 12 536 3,386 3,934 
			 East Kent 0 583 2,617 3,200 
			 East Lancashire 0 105 377 482 
			 East Yorkshire 0 283 474 757 
			 Enfield and Haringey 0 363 1,511 1,874 
			 Greater Manchester 59 1,336 6,530 7,925 
			 Halton, St. Helens and Warrington 0 0 (1) (1) 
			 Hampshire 0 2,283 3,508 5,791 
			 Hastings 0 108 424 532 
			 Hounslow 0 58 176 234 
			 Hull 0 633 3,035 3,668 
			 Lambeth and Southwark 0 1,526 7,937 9,463 
			 Leeds 0 1,472 4,037 5,509 
			 Leicester (1) 44 167 (1) 
			 Lewisham 0 1,157 5,341 6,498 
			 Liverpool 54 1,646 9,810 11,510 
			 Mid Essex 0 0 (1) (1) 
			 Milton Keynes 0 532 2,261 2,793 
			 Norfolk and Waveney 0 552 1,987 2,539 
			 North Staffordshire 0 647 3,589 4,236 
			 Northern Lincolnshire 0 42 90 132 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 0 446 759 1,205 
			 Nottingham 0 822 5,953 6,775 
			 Plymouth 0 (1) (1) (1) 
			 Portsmouth 0 560 4,237 4,797 
			 Sheffield 0 802 4,234 5,036 
			 South East Essex 0 266 2,137 2,403 
			 South Staffordshire 0 43 306 349 
			 Southampton 0 103 289 392 
			 Suffolk 0 160 1,033 1,193 
			 Tower Hamlets 0 0 (1) (1) 
			 Wakefield District and Dewsbury, Batley 0 46 290 336 
			 West Cheshire 0 137 1,640 1,777 
			 West Kent (1) 307 1,472 (1) 
			 West Sussex (1) 17 26 (1) 
			 Wirral 14 726 4,516 5,256 
			 York 0 1,064 2,508 3,572 
			 Boots Pathfinder 0 2,572 9,157 11,729 
			 Total 146 34,515 128,446 163,107 
			 (1) Cell sizes between 1 and 4 (and totals that would allow for them to be deduced) have been masked to prevent deductive disclosure in accordance with ONS guidelines.  Note: Data as at February 2008.  Source:  Health Protection Agency (HPA)NCSP. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table Two: Proportion male and female screened for chlamydia by NCSP programme area for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 
			  Programme area  Percentage male  Percentage female  Total( 1) 
			 Ashfield 46 54 28 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 23 77 2,009 
			 Berkshire East 45 55 2,645 
			 Birmingham 12 88 6,736 
			 Bournemouth and Poole 34 66 693 
			 Bradford and Airedale 17 83 1,048 
			 Brent and Harrow 22 78 2,253 
			 Brighton 17 83 5,736 
			 Buckinghamshire 21 79 14 
			 Cambridge and Peterborough 30 70 1,506 
			 Camden and Islington 7 93 3,404 
			 Central Lancashire 13 87 1,378 
			 City and Hackney 0 100 (2) 
			 Cornwall 35 65 8,076 
			 Coventry 18 82 1,908 
			 Cumbria 0 100 (2) 
			 Dorset 61 39 594 
			 Durham and Teeside 53 47 7,132 
			 East Cheshire 14 86 3,922 
			 East Kent 18 82 3,200 
			 East Lancashire 22 78 482 
			 East Yorkshire 37 63 757 
			 Enfield and Haringey 19 81 1,874 
			 Greater Manchester 17 83 7,866 
			 Halton, St. Helens and Warrington 0 100 (2) 
			 Hampshire 39 61 5,791 
			 Hastings 20 80 532 
			 Hounslow 25 75 234 
			 Hull 17 83 3,668 
			 Lambeth and Southwark 16 84 9,463 
			 Leeds 27 73 5,509 
			 Leicester 21 79 211 
			 Lewisham 18 82 6,498 
			 Liverpool 14 86 11,456 
			 Mid Essex 0 100 (2) 
			 Milton Keynes 19 81 2,793 
			 Norfolk and Waveney 22 78 2,539 
			 North Staffordshire 15 85 4,236 
			 Northern Lincolnshire 32 68 132 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 37 63 1,205 
			 Nottingham 12 88 6,775 
			 Plymouth 33 67 (2) 
			 Portsmouth 12 88 4,797 
			 Sheffield 16 84 5,036 
			 South East Essex 11 89 2,403 
			 South Staffordshire 12 88 349 
			 Southampton 26 74 392 
			 Suffolk 13 87 1,193 
			 Tower Hamlets 0 100 (2) 
			 Wakefield District and Dewsbury, Batley 14 86 336 
			 West Cheshire 8 92 1,777 
			 West Kent 17 83 1,779 
			 West Sussex 40 60 43 
			 Wirral 14 86 5,242 
			 York 30 70 3,572 
			 Boots Pathfinder 22 78 11,729 
			 Total 21 79 162,961 
			 (1) Total number screened excluding screens with sex marked as unknown and unspecified. (2) Cell sizes between 1 and 4 (and totals that would allow for them to be deduced) have been masked to prevent deductive disclosure in accordance with ONS guidelines.  Notes: 1. Data as of 27 February 2008. 2. The data from the NCSP are for screens outside of GUM clinics only and include screens from the Boots pathfinder project.  3. The data available from the NCSP are the number of screens done and not the number of patients screened. The number of screens is assumed to be a close proxy of the number of people screened.  4. The data only include those aged 13-24 years.  5. The data are for 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 because the NCSP receives data on a quarterly basis and follows the financial year.  6. The data provided are based on NCSP programme areas, not postcode of residence. The programme areas are geographically distinct areas formed by one or more primary care trusts and are responsible for coordinating local screening.  Source:  HPA-NCSP.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish an independent scientific committee to oversee research into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	There are currently no plans to establish an independent scientific committee to oversee research into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). However, the Medical Research Council (MRC) is planning to set up a panel of experts from different disciplines to look more closely at the area. The panel will come from varied fields including neuroscience, immunology, toxicology and imaging, and will involve interested parties and focus on the subtypes and causes of ME/CFS.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that Government funding for biomedical research on ME/CFS is equal to Government funding for psychological research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is committed to funding scientific research into all aspects of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) including evaluations of other treatments and studies into the biological and psychological basis of the condition. The amount provided by the MRC to each type of research depends on the quality and number of proposals received.

Community Hospitals: Closures

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community hospitals in England have  (a) closed and  (b) partly closed since May 2005.

Ben Bradshaw: Figures are not routinely collected. However, since May 2005 we have announced 23 schemes to develop or refurbish local community hospitals and services. These schemes have a total value of 272 million of which 190 million is funded from the community hospitals and services budget. These are in addition to the 158 new primary care and community facilities already delivered through the Local Improvement Finance Trust programme.

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what visits he made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1st January 2005 to 31st December 2007; and what events he attended at each.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is as follows:
	 Harrogate International Centre
	18 October 2006Speech to CPHVA  Amicus Mental Health Nurses Association
	Professional Conference
	 International Conference Centre, Birmingham
	18 September 2007Health Day Event
	11 October 2007Speech to NHS Employer's Annual Conference
	 Manchester Central
	23 November 2007Speech to NHS Alliance Annual Conference
	 Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow
	No records held.
	 Edinburgh International Conference Centre
	No records held.
	 Bournemouth International Conference Centre
	26 April 2006Speech to Royal College of Nursing Congress
	23 November 2006Speech and present Awards to NHS Alliance Annual Conference
	28 March 2007Speech to MIND Annual Conference
	18 October 2007Speech to LGA/ADSS National Children and Adult Services Conference
	 Brighton Centre
	No records held
	 Riviera Centre, Torquay
	10 May 2006Speech to Royal College of Midwives Annual Conference
	 Queen Elizabeth Centre
	6 June 2006Speech to Public Service Reform
	23 October 2006Speech to International Society for Quality Conference
	 Excel Conference Centre, Docklands
	20 June 2007Speech to NHS Confederation Annual Conference
	22 November 2007Speech to NHS Next Stage Review Clinical Summit

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1179W, on the departmental intranet, whether his Department's activity on Wikipedia was in keeping with the Civil Service Code; and if he will break down the number of creations and amendments by month.

Ben Bradshaw: The information on Wikipedia is in the public domain and could have been edited by civil servants within the Department using departmental resources up until August 2007 in either a professional or private capacity. The Department's IP address has been refused editorial rights since August 2007 in line with Wikipedia policy to block anonymous contributions to the site. Reasonable use of departmental resources for personal reasons is permitted and any activity should be in line with the general principles:
	it does not break the law;
	it does not risk bringing the Department into disrepute or place it in a position of liability;
	it does not violate any provision set out in this or any other departmental policy, or go against the Department's standard of conduct; and
	it does not cause damage or disruption to the Department's systems or business.
	Using information available from the Wikipedia site, between 22 August 2005 and 3 August 2007, the number of occasions when the Department's IP address has been associated with the creation or amendment of entries on the Wikipedia site has been broken down by month in the following table:
	
		
			   2005  2006  2007 
			 January 0 19 187 
			 February 0 27 162 
			 March 0 61 217 
			 April 0 60 67 
			 May 0 33 100 
			 June 0 21 5 
			 July 0 67 13 
			 August 1 122 1 
			 September 2 138 0 
			 October 0 154 0 
			 November 0 233 0 
			 December 16 95 0 
		
	
	The Department reaches the world wide web via the Government Secure Intranet (GSI). The internal IP address is changed on the route out. This means that external web sites and the Wikipedia site would see a centralised GSI gateway address rather than a specific individual internal personal computer (PC) IP address. Internally the IP address is set dynamically rather than being static, e.g. fixed. This means that when someone logs in, their PC is given an IP address from a central pool of any one of around 4,500 IP addresses in daily use in the Department. To collect the information about who edited the Wikipedia site and for what purpose on the approximate 1,800 occasions reported by the Wikipedia site reporting tool would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Marketing

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on publicity and advertising in 2007-08.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table outlines cost of departmental spending on publicity and advertising during 2007-08.
	
		
			  Departmental spending on publicity and advertising, 2007-08 
			million 
			 Tobacco control 19.0 
			 Tobacco legislation 8.7 
			 Sexual health(1) 6.9 
			 Drugs prevention(2) 2.0 
			 Alcohol(3) 1.3 
			 Hepatitis C 2.1 
			 Flu immunisation 1.4 
			 Social work/care 3.1 
			 Keep warm, keep well(4) 0.5 
			 Maternal and infant nutrition 1.2 
			 Respiratory and hand hygiene 0.8 
			 NHS Direct 1.0 
			 Antibiotics 0.6 
			 5 A DAY 1.3 
			 NHS Injury Benefits Scheme 0.4 
			 Total 50.3 
			 (1) Including the Department for Health's (DH) contribution to joint campaign with the Department for Children, Schools and Families.  (2) DH's contribution to joint campaign with the Home Office and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.  (3) DH's contribution to joint campaign with the Home Office.  (4) DH's contribution to cross-government campaign.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether consideration has been given to applying gender responsive budgeting to his Department's budget.

Ben Bradshaw: The United Kingdom Government are supportive of efforts to achieve gender equality and continue to work very closely with both the Women's National Commission and the Women's Budget Group on promoting gender equality within the UK.
	In 2004, HM Treasury undertook a pilot project on gender analysis of expenditure with the Women's Budget Group. The project demonstrated the value of gender analysis in some areas and identified what tools and expertise were necessary within Government to carry out gender analysis, but concluded that further work was needed before gender responsive budgeting could be implemented.
	In 2008, HM Treasury will be conducting further work that will determine whether it is prudent and feasible to disaggregate departmental expenditure statistics by gender.
	The Department is committed to creating a patient-centred health service that extends choice and is responsive to all patients and users, in particular ensuring that any gender inequalities in treatment and access are eliminated.
	The weighted capitation formula used to determine primary care trusts' (PCTs) target share of available resources is designed to enable them to commission similar levels of health care for populations in similar need. To determine the relevant population for each PCT, factors including gender are considered. In addition, the prescribing and primary medical services components of the formula take into account gender in determining the need for these services.
	To support the national health service in taking forward gender equality legislation, the Department published guidance in March 2007'Creating a Gender Equality Scheme: A practical guide for the NHS'to ensure that all NHS organisations understand their responsibilities. Similar guidance on transgender issues'Transgender: A practical guide for the NHS'is planned for publication in April 2008.
	In addition, the Department has commissioned the Men's Health Forum to conduct a review of the different ways women and men access health services. This review will provide evidence to help determine key gender health priorities for the Department and the NHS. The Department is also in the process of appointing a 'gender champion' to promote gender equality in the NHS.

Departmental Publications

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is issued to members of his Department on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The 'Civil Service Code', the 'Civil Service Management Code' and 'Propriety Guidance on Government Communications' all provide guidance to staff on the publication of material relating to their official duties. Copies of each of these publications are in the Library and are also available on the Cabinet Office website at:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Departmental Training

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department and its agencies have attended the  (a) Influencing with Integrity,  (b) Emotional Intelligence,  (c) Counselling Skills for the Workplace,  (d) Managing your Confidence,  (e) Balancing Work/Life Realities and  (f) Working Assertively training course run by the National School of Government in the last 12 months for which information is available; and at what cost.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table shows the numbers of departmental staff attending the courses enquired about in 2007-08 and the costs incurred.
	
		
			  Course title  Number of departmental staff attending  Cost () 
			 Influencing with Integrity 0 0.00 
			 Emotional Intelligence 0 0.00 
			 Counselling Skills for the Workplace 0 0.00 
			 Managing your Confidence 2 2,298.00 
			 Balancing Work/Life Realities 1 1,080.00 
			 Working Assertively 5 3,630.00 
		
	
	A total of eight courses were attended by department staff at a cost of 7,008.00.

Departmental Video Conferencing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set a target to increase the use of video-conferencing by his Department to reduce the need to travel to meetings.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department is committed to achieving the carbon reduction targets for the Government estate, published in June 2006. We encourage all our staff to use video conferencing where possible, to avoid the need for official travel. We have steadily increased our use of video conferencing, from a total of 6,679 conferences in 2004, to 10,526 in 2007, a 57 per cent. increase. We anticipate that usage in 2008 will be around 11,500, and we have plans to install a further 10 video conferencing suites in the coming months, to meet demand.
	We have estimated that approximately 776 tonnes of CO2 will be saved in 2008 as a result of holding video conferences instead of requiring staff to travel to meetings.
	Across the departmental estate, there are currently 36 video conference units. In May 2008, a further 11 units will be deployed in London and there are plans to increase the number in Leeds to accommodate the rise in London estate numbers.
	We have made significant use of video conferencing for over 10 years and we continually review the number of systems and bandwidth needed, to meet both business requirements and the sustainable development agenda.

Dieticians: Prescriptions

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department's non-medical prescribing board last considered a business case for dieticians to become supplementary or independent prescribers.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department's Non-Medical Prescribing Programme Board has not received a business case for dieticians to become supplementary prescribers or independent prescribers.

Drugs: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much a general practice is paid per patient per year for the management of a patient who is stable on warfarin; and how much is payable under the tariff to an NHS trust for the same service.

Ben Bradshaw: Specific services provided in general practice for patients on Warfarin, are commissioned locally. Payments are agreed locally between the primary care trust and the practice.
	There is no specific inpatient, or out-patient tariff relating to the management of a patient who is stable on Warfarin.

Drugs: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were transferred from secondary to primary care for their management on warfarin in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what evaluation has taken place of the implications of this for patients.

Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally. It is for local NHS providers to decide how to deliver services to patients.

Eyesight: Testing

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on notifying pensioners of their entitlement to an NHS sight test; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Department has held no recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on notifying pensioners of their entitlement to national health service funded sight tests.

Family Practioner Services: Westminster Primary Care Trust

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which GP practices are funded by Westminster primary care trust; and what the location of each is.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The information requested about general practitioners (GP) practices funded by Westminster primary care trust (PCT) is not held centrally.
	However, information about GP practices located in the Westminster PCT area is available on the Department's National Health Service Choices website, and is provided as follows:
	
		
			  List of GP practices located in the Westminster PCT area 
			  Name of doctor/GP practice  Address 
			 Ahmed (N) Dart Street, W10 4LD 
			 Atkinson (FG) 22 Woods Mews, W1K 7DS 
			 Bayswater Medical Centre 46 Craven Road, W2 3QA 
			 Belgrave Medical Centre 13 Pimlico Road, SW1W 8NA 
			 Cavendish Health Centre 53 New Cavendish Street, WIG 9TQ 
			 Covent Garden Medical Centre 47 Shorts Gardens, WC2H 9AA 
			 Crawford Street Surgery 95-97 Crawford Street, W1H 2HJ 
			 Crompton Medical Centre 1 Crompton Street, W2 1ND 
			 Dr. Hege Mostad 141-143 Lupus Street, SW1V 3HQ 
			 Drs Silva and Vranakis 7 Golbourne Road, W10 5PN 
			 Fitzrovia Medical Centre 31 Fitzroy Square, WIT 6EU 
			 Garfield and Sarnicki 321 Shirland Road, W9 3JJ 
			 Great Chapel Street Medical Centre 13 Great Chapel Street, W1F 8FL 
			 Harrow Road Health Centre 209 Harrow Road, W2 5EH 
			 Health Centre 574 Harrow Road, W10 4NJ 
			 Imperial College Health Centre 40 Princess Gardens, SW7 1LY 
			 Kings College Health Centre 3rd Floor Macadam Building, Surrey Street, WC2R 2LS 
			 Lai Chung Fong (P) Dart Street, W10 4LD 
			 Lancaster Gate Medical Centre 20-21 Leinster Terrace, W2 3ET 
			 Lisson Grove Health Centre Gateforth Street, NW8 8EG 
			 Little Venice Medical Centre 2 Crompton Street, W2 1ND 
			 Maida Vale Medical Centre 40 Biddulph Mansions, Elgin Avenue, W9 1HT 
			 Marylebone Health Centre 17 Marylebone, NW1 5LT 
			 Milne House Medical Centre 1 Norfolk Square, W21 RU 
			 Murphy 30 Soho Square, W1D 3QS 
			 Nagarajan (RK) Dart Street London, W10 4LD 
			 North West London Medical Centre 56 Maida Vale, W9 1PP 
			 Paddington Green Health Centre 4 Princess Louise Close, W2 1LQ 
			 Randolph Surgery 235a Elgin Avenue, W9 1NH 
			 Soho Square General Practice First Floor, 1 Frith Street, W1D 3HZ 
			 South Westminster Centre St. Georges House, 82 Vincent Square, SW1P 2PF 
			 St. John's Wood Medical Practice Brampton House, St. John's and St. Elizabeth's Hospital, 60 Grove End Road, NWS 9NH 
			 The Belgravia Surgery 24-26 Ecclestone Street, SW1W 9PY 
			 The Connaught Square Practice 41 Connaught Square, W2 2HL 
			 The Doctor Hickey Surgery Cardinal Hume Centre (Homeless Patients Only) 3 Arneway Street, SW1P 2BG 
			 The Elgin Clinic 1 Woodchester Square, W2 5SW 
			 The Garway Clinic 2 Garway Road, W2 4NH 
			 The Lanark Medical Centre 165 Lanark Road, W9 1NZ 
			 The Marven Medical Practice 46-50 Lupus Street, SW1V 3EB 
			 The Mayfair Medical Centre 3-5 Weighhouse Street, W1K 5LS 
			 The New Elgin Practice 44 Chippenham Road, W9 2AF 
			 The Newton Medical Centre Bayswater Centre 14-18 Newton Road, W2 5LT 
			 The Surgery 131 Harley Street, WIG 6BB 
			 The Wellington Health Centre 16 Wellington Road, NW8 9SP 
			 The Westbourne Green Surgery Health At The Stowe, 260 Harrow Road, W2 5ES 
			 Third Floor Medical Centre 165 Lanark Road, W9 1NZ 
			 Victoria Medical Centre 29 Upper Tachbrook Street, SW1V 1SN 
			 West Two Health 33-35 Praed Street, W2 1NR 
			 Westminster Health Centre 15 Denbigh Street, SW1V 2HF 
			 Woodfield Road Surgery The Medical Centre 7e, Woodfield Road, W9 3XZ 
			 Zeider 3-5 Weighhouse Street, W1K 5LS 
			  Source:  www.nhs.uk/Pages/homepage.aspx

Fractures: Databases

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the national hip fracture database is to be implemented by all health trusts.

Ivan Lewis: The National Hip Fracture Database was established in 2007 by the British Geriatric Society and the British Orthopaedic Association. It is a matter for individual national health service trusts to decide whether they wish to be registered on the database.

Health Services: Complaints

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1072-3W, on health services: complaints, if he will break down the number of complaints by category in each year.

Ben Bradshaw: We understand that the Healthcare Commission uses over 100 categories to classify complaints. Information on the broad categories of issues raised in complaints upheld by the Commission is set out in the following table. As many of the complaints referred to the Commission raise more than one issue, the total number of issues is greater than the number of complaints upheld.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Total number of complaints upheld 11 395 1,462 2,734 
			  
			  Issues raised in upheld complaints 
			 Access to services 4 104 230 792 
			 Complaints handling 6 115 333 1,580 
			 Compliance with core standards 1 66 164 175 
			 Patient experience (including hygiene) 9 372 1,053 1,668 
			 Safety/effectiveness of care and essence of care 4 381 1,351 3,918 
			 Other 2 139 582 414 
			  Number of upheld complaints raising issue by year closed

Health Services: Males

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how  (a) his Department and  (b) the Health Protection Agency plans to monitor progress against the Health Protection Agency's Men too... strategy.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department monitors delivery of the objectives of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) through a service level agreement with the Health Protection Agency. The NCSP will monitor progress against the 'Men too...' strategy through routine quarterly analysis of disaggregate data, which will be published on the website and in the annual report. Progress on individual elements of the strategy will be monitored by the NCSP programme board.

Health Services: Overview and Scrutiny Committees

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to allow the representation of district councils on county and unitary health overview and scrutiny committees.

Ann Keen: District councils may participate in health scrutiny in a variety of ways. Although district councils do not have the powers to review and scrutinise health services, there are opportunities for them to become involved in joint committees through co-option and to have the functions delegated to them.
	Joint committees may be established by two or more local authorities (LAs) including two-tier district councils for both a specific scrutiny review, and for on-going scrutiny planning and review.
	County councils may co-opt members of overview and scrutiny committees from district councils to participate as full members of the county overview and scrutiny committee considering health services. Councillors who are members of a district council executive are, by definition, not scrutiny members and therefore cannot be co-opted onto the county council health overview and scrutiny committee, nor can district councillors who are not members of an overview and scrutiny committee. Councillors who fall into these categories and who may have a role to play in a scrutiny process may participate in other ways, for example by providing information to the committee or attending as an expert witness.
	A LA may also arrange for its overview and scrutiny functions to be undertaken by a committee from another LA. The regulations enable the delegation of scrutiny functions between LAs including from county council to district council overview and scrutiny committees. When delegation takes place, the full powers of overview and scrutiny of health services are given to the delegated committee but only in relation to the specific delegated function.
	Further information and guidance is provided in Overview and Scrutiny of Health GuidanceJuly 2003, copies of the guidance are available in the Library.

Health Services: Regulation

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much time members of the new strategic boards proposed for professional healthcare regulatory bodies will be expected to commit each year; and how many times he expects each such board to meet in each year.

Ben Bradshaw: The detailed arrangements for the number of times boards will meet and the time commitments of board members is a matter for the individual regulatory bodies. However, the White Paper, Trust, Assurance, SafetyThe Regulation of Healthcare Professionals in the 21(st) Century does set out the expectation that councils will be more board-like and strategic. The regulators will want to take this into account when making their decisions and will also want to consider the recommendations in Niall Dickson's report Enhancing Confidence in Healthcare Professional Regulation when it is published.

Health Services: Regulation

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) skills,  (b) competences and  (c) experience candidates for (i) professional and (ii) lay membership of the councils of professional healthcare bodies will be required to demonstrate before appointment.

Ben Bradshaw: This is a matter for discussion between the Appointments Commission and the relevant professional regulatory bodies. However, they will wish to take into account the recommendations in Niall Dickson's report Enhancing Confidence in Healthcare Professional Regulation, when it is published.

Health Services: Regulation

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider introducing a requirement for professional applicants to council of professional health regulatory bodies to demonstrate a capacity to express in plain English technical information for use by the public.

Ben Bradshaw: The councils of professional health regulatory bodies will of course want to ensure that technical information that is written for public consumption is clear and understandable. However, the approach to achieving this is a matter for the regulators themselves.

Health Services: West Sussex

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2008,  Official Report, column 339W, on health services: West Sussex, if he will define his use of the term viable option.

Dawn Primarolo: As stated in the answer I gave the right hon. Member on 29 January 2008, proposals for the reconfiguration of services are a matter for the national health service locally, working in conjunction with clinicians, patients and other stakeholders.
	The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this issue further with either the chief executive of West Sussex primary care trust, or the chief executive of South East Coast strategic health authority.

Health Visitors: Manpower

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health visitors were in post in each primary care trust in  (a) 2001,  (b) 2005 and  (c) 2007.

Ben Bradshaw: Tables showing the number of health visitors in post in each primary care trust in England in 2001, 2005 and 2007 have been placed in the Library.

Healthcare Commission: Complaints

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) mean,  (b) median and  (c) range of time taken was by the Healthcare Commission to categorise complaints in each year from August 2004; and how many (i) categorised and (ii) un-categorised complaints are outstanding.

Ben Bradshaw: I understand from the Healthcare Commission that the information is not available in the form requested and that categorisation of complaints can happen at a variety of stages during the review process. The Commission records information on the average length of time taken to carry out and complete independent reviews and on the age profile of cases.
	In April 2007, the average time to complete an independent review was 5.7 months and there were 3,060 open cases. Of those cases 429 were over 12 months old, 927 were between six and 12 months old. At the end of 2007-08, the average time to complete an independent review was 2.8 months and there were 1,474 open cases. Of those cases 13 were over 12 months old; fewer than 160 were between six and 12 months old.

HIV Infection

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new HIV/AIDS cases there were in each of the last three years, broken down by  (a) primary care trust and  (b) age group.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

HIV Infection: Medical Treatments

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on anti-retroviral therapy in each of the last five years, broken down by trust.

Dawn Primarolo: These data are not held centrally.

Hospitals: Drugs

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions illegal drugs were seized in hospitals in 2007.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not collected centrally. The Home Office collects and publishes statistics on drug seizures by the police and HM Revenue and Customs in England and Wales, but they do not identify drug seizures in hospitals. The Home Office's most recent publication was Seizures of Drugs in England and Wales 2005, published in October 2007 and available at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb1707.pdf

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths there were in  (a) Great Western Hospital, Swindon,  (b) Royal United Hospital, Bath and  (c) Chippenham Community Hospital wholly or partly attributed to (i) clostridium difficile, (ii) MRSA and (iii) other hospital acquired infections in each of the last five years.

Edward Miliband: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths there were in  (a) Great Western Hospital, Swindon,  (b) Royal United Hospital, Bath and  (c) Chippenham Community Hospital wholly or partly attributed to (i) clostridium difficile and (ii) MRSA or other hospital acquired infections in each of the last five years. (199433)
	Special analyses of deaths involving  Clostridium difficile and MRSA in England and Wales are undertaken annually by ONS. The latest year for which figures are available is 2006. Information on the numbers of deaths between 2001 and 2006 involving  Clostridium difficile and MRSA were published in  Health Statistics Quarterly in February 2008.(1,2) This publication is available in the House of Commons Library.
	ONS has not yet released any figures on deaths involving  Clostridium difficile or MRSA for individual hospitals. The possibility of producing figures for hospitals in the future is currently being investigated.
	(1) Office for National Statistics (2008) Report: deaths involving  Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 1999-2006.  Health Statistics Quarterly 37, 52-56.
	(2) Office for National Statistics (2008) Report; Deaths involving MRSA: England and Wales, 1993-2006.  Health Statistics Quarterly 37,57-62

Hospitals: Lancashire

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the most recent re-configuration of hospital services in East Lancashire has cost.

Ann Keen: Proposals for changes to services are a matter for the national health service locally. The information requested is not held centrally.

Huntingtons Chorea

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the number of people diagnosed with Huntington's disease in  (a) England,  (b) the north-east,  (c) Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the number of people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in  (a) England,  (b) the north-east,  (c) Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

Ann Keen: The Department has made no estimate of the number of people living with Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. However, figures quoted in the National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions estimated that 120,000 people in the United Kingdom live with Parkinson's disease, and 6,000 to 10,000 with Huntington's disease.

Incontinence: Medical Equipment

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effect on the ability of users of Part IX catheters, appliances and related services to self-care under the proposed changes to the arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff;
	(2)  if he will ensure that the forthcoming consultation document on Part IX of the Drug Tariff will be constructed in a user-friendly format.

Dawn Primarolo: The review of the arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and incontinence appliancesand related servicesin primary care aims to maintain and, where appropriate, improve patient care.
	A further consultation is due to be published in May 2008, together with an impact assessment and equality impact assessment.
	It is intended that the May consultation should be constructed in a user-friendly format.

Influenza

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with pharmaceutical companies on the continuity of product supply in the event of an influenza pandemic in the last 12 months; what the content of those discussions was; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 22 November 2007,  Official Report, column 1350, outlining the measures to prepare the country for the event of an influenza pandemic including publication of Pandemic flu: A national framework for responding to an influenza pandemic and supporting guidance. A major work programme is underway in the Department to develop preparedness including our plans to increase the stockpiles of antivirals and to build a stockpile of antibiotics. We also launched a consultation on possible changes to legislation to maintain access to medicines during a pandemic. The response to the consultation will be published shortly.
	In developing our plans we have engaged with the pharmaceutical industry including representatives from the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries, the British Generic Manufacturers Association and the British Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers who sit on our external reference group for pandemic influenza pharmacy and prescribing.
	We have also canvassed the pharmaceutical industry via their associations on companies' own preparedness plans to maintain supply in the event of a pandemic.
	We have also undertaken a simulation exercise on the potential impact of a pandemic on the medicines and healthcare products supply chain. Representatives from these groups, along with pharmacy service providers and healthcare professionals took part in the exercise.

Influenza

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which groups are to be offered pandemic influenza vaccination in the event of an influenza pandemic, in order of priority; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  pursuant to his statement of 22 November 2007,  Official Report, column 1351, on pandemic influenza, what proportion of the additional 10 million funding allocated this year to assist the national health service in developing its pandemic influenza contingency plans has been spent; for what purposes this funding was intended; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what progress has been made in procuring a stockpile of  (a) additional anti-virals,  (b) antibiotics,  (c) disposal respirators and  (d) face-masks for use in the event of an influenza pandemic; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1078W, on influenza, what appropriate  (a) counter-measures and  (b) information he is considering in order to protect staff during an influenza pandemic; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The business cases for the procurement of the clinical countermeasures, particularly of the likely clinical impact of the products, the relevant market conditions and the economic issues, are currently under discussion within the Department of Health and with HM Treasury.
	The oral statement given on 22 November 2007 recognised that we would need to ensure that value for money was balanced with the need to be certain that the United Kingdom is properly prepared.
	The current stockpile of H5N1 vaccine has been purchased specifically for the protection of health care workers. Specific information for employees of the health service was issued for consultation in November 2007 and those responses are now being considered with a view to providing final guidance. A range of other pieces of guidance, particularly those relating to infection control procedures are also available on this Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Flu/PandemicFlu/index.htm
	In the event of an influenza pandemic, we aim to treat anyone who shows symptoms of the influenza virus irrespective of their profession. If it becomes necessary to prioritise the influenza vaccine, that decision will have to be made in light of the available evidence at the time.
	We have provided funds of 10 million to assist the national health service in developing their pandemic flu contingency plans. While we have provided these funds, it is for strategic health authorities to decide how best to allocate this funding to support pandemic planning in the light of local circumstances.

Influenza

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2008,  Official Report, column 596W, on influenza, with which  (a) public and  (b) private sector bodies the Government have met at (i) the Business Forum and (ii) other ad hoc meetings to review the development of plans and disseminate good practice in the last 12 months; if he will provide details of the good practice being disseminated to these bodies; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Business Forum for pandemic influenza was formed by representatives of different business sectors, covering most areas of the Critical National Infrastructure. It has now been superseded by the Business Advisory Group on Civil Protection (BAGCP). This group works to support an open, constructive and representative relationship between Government and business in the area of civil protection as a whole, ensuring that business plays its part in identifying and managing the risk of emergencies, and maintaining world-class capabilities to respond to and recover from a wide range of emergencies. Information on the membership of BAGCP and issues considered can be found at:
	www.preparingforemergencies.gov.uk/business/bagcp.shtm
	To facilitate sectoral planning central Government Departments have issued best practice pandemic flu guidance and regularly meet with stakeholders to update them on the emerging situation and to provide advice. Sector specific pandemic flu guidance is available from the Cabinet Office UK resilience website at:
	www.ukresilience.info/pandemicflu/guidance.aspx

Influenza

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2008,  Official Report, column 593W, on influenza, what progress has been made in testing the public's reactions to many issues in pandemic planning and decision-making; on what issues the reaction of the public is being tested; in what ways the reaction of the public is being tested; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: A public engagement programme started in January 2008. It was aimed at testing a range of pandemic planning issues and anticipating the public's likely response, as a means of informing communications strategies and the future implementation of the 'National framework for responding to an influenza pandemic'.
	A range of scenarios were developed based on the major dimensions of uncertainty and impact relating to a pandemic. The qualitative research consisted of one day workshops in each of the four countries within the United Kingdom. 40 members of the public attended each event, split into groups of mixed age, gender and socio-economic group. In addition, 11 in-depth interviews were undertaken in relation to hard to reach and vulnerable groups.
	The detailed research findings are currently being analysed and will be used to inform detailed pandemic planning.

Influenza

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1078W, on influenza, when he expects the audit of NHS preparedness to conclude; whether any findings have resulted from the audit to date; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: We expect the self-assessment audit to be concluded by June 2008. The responses to the audit are currently being reviewed.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the value was of each contract awarded by his Department to Karian and Box since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has not awarded any contracts to Karian and Box.

Lloyds Pharmacy: Finance

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department paid to Lloyds Pharmacy in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each such payment was.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department's financial records only go back to April 2001 and they show that no payments have been made to Lloyds Pharmacy for the period April 2001 to March 2008.

Meat Hygiene Service

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely impact of recent changes in the Meat Hygiene Service, with particular reference to the number of abattoirs.

Dawn Primarolo: Following a detailed review of the delivery of official controls in approved meat plants, including slaughterhouses, the Food Standards Agency Board decided last July that continuance of the level of subsidy paid to industry into the future was unsustainable, and the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) should seek to recover an increasing proportion of those costs through industry charges. At the same time, the MHS would be expected to become a more efficient organisation that will carry out its role at less cost.
	Through a programme of transformation, the cost base of the MHS is being reduced from 91.3 million in 2006-07 to 75 million in 2011-12 in real terms in order to reduce the burden on industry as charge rates to businesses are increased. A new approach to charging is being developed with key stakeholders, including industry, and is taking into consideration that small and geographically isolated abattoirs may need some continuing support. Proposals for the new charging system will be subject to full public consultation, which will include a regulatory impact assessment.

Meat: Labelling

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to amend guidance on country of origin meat labelling.

Dawn Primarolo: Beef, veal and poultry meat (imported from outside the European Commission) must provide mandatory origin labelling. The Food Standards Agency has issued best practice guidance on the general provision of origin information that also covers other meats. This guidance is currently under revision, however, no changes are envisaged for the labelling of meat.

Medical Equipment: Public Participation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has received on the pilots of the community equipment retail model; what plans his Department has to extend the pilots; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The transforming community equipment programme is currently preparing an evaluation report on the shadow running exercise for the community equipment retail model. It is expected that the evaluation report will be provided to Ministers in late spring.
	One of the outputs from testing and validating an operational model through shadow running has been the creation of comprehensive implementation tools and materials. These are currently being tested by the latest sites participating in shadow running.
	Currently there is no plan to extend shadow running. It will be a local decision whether the retail model is implemented.

NHS

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many locations the NHS has offices outside the United Kingdom.

Dawn Primarolo: The NHS European office in Brussels is the only office located outside of the United Kingdom.

NHS Direct

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that NHS Direct remains a nurse-led organisation.

Ben Bradshaw: Nurses carry out an important role in NHS Direct in assessing patients needs and, where appropriate, advising on self-care. Trained health advisors also have a role to play carrying out an initial assessment of patients' needs and referring callers to nurse colleagues, other health services or giving out health information. It is important that NHS Direct has the right skill-mix to deal with a variety of health calls and so nurses will continue to be a crucial part of the organisation.

NHS: Belgium

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are employed in NHS offices in Brussels.

Dawn Primarolo: There are currently four staff employed in the NHS European office in Brussels and one staff member based in London.

NHS: Belgium

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) functions and  (b) objectives are of the NHS office in Brussels; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The NHS European office is part of the NHS confederation, more information about its functions and objectives can be found at the NHS European office's website at:
	www.nhsconfed.org/euunit/Index.cfm

NHS: Dental Services

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there are per head of the population in each English county.

Ann Keen: The numbers of national health service dentists per 100,000 of the population are available in Table E1 of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2006-07 report. Information is available by primary care trust and by strategic health authority, but is not available at county level, and is as at 30 June 2006, 30 September 2006, 31 December 2006 and 31 March 2007.
	This report, published by the Information Centre for health and social care on 23 August 2007, is available in the Library and is also available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0607

NHS: Drugs

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 23-24W, on the NHS: drugs, what proportion of the profit margin achieved by pharmacy contractors was attributable to the reimbursement of category M medicines expenditure in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07.

Dawn Primarolo: According to the October 2005 and February 2006 invoice surveys, 94 per cent. of the total profit in 2005-06 came from drugs in Category M. Based on the April, July, October 2006 and January 2007 invoice surveys, this proportion is 89 per cent. These percentages use those sampled drugs actually in Category M in each month, which vary slightly between surveys.

NHS: Fees and Charges

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the estimated value is of HC2 and HC3 certificates issued between 2000-01 and 2006-07 to  (a) students and  (b) people aged under 25 years;
	(2)  how many people who applied for health cost exemptions with an HC1 form who received neither an HC2 or HC3 certificate between 2000-01 and 2006-07 were  (a) students and  (b) people aged under 25 years.

Dawn Primarolo: Information is not available about the value of National Health Service Low Income Scheme certificates HC2 and HC3. It is not possible to collect data about how an individual uses their certificate.
	Information is not available about the number of students or people aged less than 25 who make an HC1 claim and did not receive a certificate HC2 or HC3.
	People who apply on an HC1 may not receive either a HC2 or HC3 for three main reasons. They may fail to respond to requests for further information to enable an accurate assessment to proceed, they might have capital over the maximum limit or they may already be exempt on other grounds, for example, because they are in receipt of income support.

NHS: Fees and Charges

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the total annual administrative cost was of  (a) the NHS Low Income Scheme,  (b) processing HC1 forms and  (c) issuing HC2 or HC3 certificates in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average administrative cost was of  (a) processing an HC1 form and  (b) issuing an HC2 or HC3 certificate in the latest period for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The Prescription Pricing Division of the National Health Service Business Service Authority has advised us that the overall cost of the administration of the NHS low income scheme for England, Scotland and Wales was 3.6 million for 2006-07. In that period, the average administrative cost, from receipt of an HC1 form, through to the issuing of an HC2 or HC3 certificate was 7.65. This also included the cost of issuing HC4 letters for those claimants not entitled to help with their health costs because their capital is in excess of the upper limit and LIS08 letters to claimants already entitled to full help with health costs, for example, because they receive income support. It is not possible to break this figure down further.

NHS: Finance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration has been given to the application for long-term funding made by developing patient partnerships; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Department has supported Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP) through two Section 64 specific grants since April 2003. The latest grant covering 2006-08 was conditional on the basis that DPP worked towards self-sufficiency from April 2008 by increasing their subscriber base.

NHS: Finance

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the NHS programme budgeting and marginal analysis data will be made publicly available.

Ben Bradshaw: Programme budgeting expenditure data for the financial years 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 are publicly available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Financeandplanning/Programmebudgeting/DH_075743.
	The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement has recently funded research into the practicalities of undertaking marginal analysis at three national health service sites. This work will inform how both the NHS Institute and the Department advises NHS organisations in their use of Programme Budgeting. The results of this work are currently being written up, with publication in a peer-reviewed journal planned for summer 2008.
	To comply with the National Statistics Code of Practice and the Protocol on Data Access and Confidentiality, the Programme Budgeting Atlas, which is hosted by the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development is not publicly available. Some of the statistics contained within the atlases are based on very small numbers of events and may, therefore, have the potential to identify individuals.

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local service provider deployments  (a) of acute departmental systems, (i) in emergency care (ii) in mental health and (iii) in primary care,  (b) of picture archiving and communications systems and  (c) of map of medicine and portals have been made, broken down by (A) local service provider, (B) trust, (C) hospital and (D) practice.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is provided in the following table. No information is held about 'portals'.
	
		
			  Deployment of departmental systems 
			  Local service provider  Care setting  Number of departmental systems 
			 BT Acute Trust 63 
			  Ambulance Trust 1 
			  General practitioner (GP) 1,702 
			  Mental Health Trust 10 
			  Primary Care Trust (PCT) 63 
			 BT total  1,839 
			
			 CSC Alliance Acute Trust 87 
			  Ambulance Trust 5 
			  GP 1,135 
			  Mental Health Trust 14 
			  PCT 129 
			 CSC Alliance total  1,370 
			
			 Fujitsu Acute Trust 50 
			  Ambulance Trust 3 
			  Mental Health Trust 7 
			  PCT 40 
			 Fujitsu total  100 
			 Grand total  3,309

NHS: ICT

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was allocated for NHS IT projects since 2005; and how much he expects to allocate in each year until 2010.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) on 7 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 123-24W.
	National health service organisations have always been responsible for paying for and maintaining their existing information systems, and funding for this is built into general allocations. Information technology expenditure reported by the NHS in the 2005-06 financial year amounted to 1.329 billion, and in 2006-07 to 1.381 billion.

NHS: ICT

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) linkages and  (b) cross checks are planned between data records on individuals in (i) NHS IT systems and (ii) other Government IT systems.

Ben Bradshaw: In accordance with the national health service care record guarantee and legal obligations of confidentiality, links will be made only with the consent of patients or where there is a statutory obligation. A recent example of the latter is the Children Act 2004 which provides for the mandatory disclosure of some NHS patient information to the Department of Children, Schools and Family's ContactPoint system.
	The strategy that underpins the national programme for information technology also envisaged that there would be appropriate integration of care records with social care where necessary for the care of patients. Until now, this has concentrated on close working to achieve a single assessment process between the NHS and social care with cross checks to agree the accuracy. Future linkages will be subject to feasibility work and agreements.
	Other linkages exist for the purposes of care with the Ministry of Defence for the treatment of armed forces personnel and with the Ministry of Justice for the provision of health care for prisoners. In both cases, there are no plans to link NHS patient records, or perform cross-checks, with records in other Government information technology systems for non-care purposes.

NHS: Internet

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the making of contributions to Wikipedia pages related to the NHS by  (a) administrative,  (b) medical,  (c) nursing and  (d) other NHS staff; what guidance he has issued to health authorities and trusts on the allocation of resources to this work; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse in each of the last three years of time spent by NHS staff in contributing to Wikipedia online pages; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The only policies covering the creation or editing of information in the public domain applicable to departmental or national health service staff relate to acceptable use of resources and the code of conduct for staff. These policies apply to all grades, roles and professions and there has been no specific guidance issued relating to Wikipedia.
	Organisations within the NHS operate their own local information technology systems but connect to the world wide web in the main via the centrally managed N3 communications network. The internal IP address is changed on the route out. This means that external web sites and the Wikipedia site would see one of a range of centralised gateway addresses rather than a specific individual internal personal computer IP address. Wikipedia has adopted the policy since August 2007 that no contribution is accepted from a source that cannot be attributed to an individual.
	The reporting tool within Wikipedia shows only one document that has been edited using an IP address originating from the N3 network in the reporting period available. The cost to the public purse based on this information cannot be accurately quantified but is estimated to be less than 100.

NHS: Private Finance Initiative

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any private finance initiative schemes in the NHS have been included in portfolios held in off-shore tax havens.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on where project companies delivering services to national health service trusts under private finance initiative contracts are registered for tax purposes is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

NHS: Private Sector

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the comparative cost of outsourced  (a) diagnostics and  (b) operations in comparison to undertaking such procedures in-house in NHS trusts in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: No estimate is available of the comparative cost of outsourced diagnostics and operations, and those undertaken in national health service trusts in 2006-07.
	However, the 2006-07 NHS reference costs schedules, published in February 2008, contain information on the average cost of services delivered by NHS hospitals. The reference cost schedules also contain data relating to the average price to NHS organisations of a range of commissioned or contracted-out procedures undertaken by non-NHS providers. This information is available in the Library and is also available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_082571

Obesity

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population of  (a) England and (b) Sunderland that is clinically obese.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available in the exact format requested.
	Information on the proportion of adults aged over 16 years in England that are obese, broken down by Government Office Region and strategic health authority is collected in the Health Survey for England.
	This information can be found in Health Survey for England 2006: Volume 1 'Cardiovascular disease and risk factors in adults' Tables 5.2 and 5.3 on pages 98 and 99 which was published on 31January 2008. This publication is available in the Library.
	Estimated prevalence of obesity among adults aged 16 and over, along with associated confidence intervals for Sunderland local authority are presented in Table one. These estimates are taken from Model-Based Estimates of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours, and are for combined years 2003-05. The proportion of people who are obese in Sunderland was found to be statistically significantly higher than the national estimate.
	
		
			  Model-Based estimates of obesity prevalence, Sunderland local authority 2003-05 
			   Percentages 
			 Estimated prevalence of obesity 26.9 
			 95 per cent. lower confidence interval 24.4 
			 95 per cent. upper confidence interval 29.7 
			  Note: The national estimate is derived directly from the Health Surveys for England 2003-05 (with associated confidence intervals) and therefore is not a model-based estimate.  Source: Model-Based Estimates of Healthy Lifestyles Behaviours, 2003-05. Neighbourhood Statistics, Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Obesity: Children

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of children classified as obese in each of the last five years, broken down by age cohort.

Dawn Primarolo: Data on the prevalence of obesity among children aged two to 10, 11 to 15 and two to 15, for the last five years up to 2006 can be found in the Health Survey for England (HSE) 2006 latest trends, published 31 January 2008. The HSE publication is available in the Library.

Obesity: Standards

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1055W, on obesity, what baseline figure has been set for his Department's public service agreement target to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Dawn Primarolo: As part of the public service agreement (PSA) for child health and well-being, the Government aim to reduce the rate of increase in obesity in children under 11-years-old over the period 2008-09 to 2010-11. Health Survey for England data from 1995 to 2006 have been used to calculate a linear trend for obesity in children under 11. This linear trend suggests that childhood obesity is growing at 0.5 per cent. points per year and this growth rate has been used to forecast a baseline trajectory over the period, with child obesity increasing from 16.1 per cent. in 2006 (latest year of actual data) to 18.7 per cent. in 2011. Under the PSA the Government aim to reduce the rate of growth against this baseline trajectory.

Osteopathy

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment the Government has made of the merits of osteopathy in treating long-term musculoskeletal conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: We have made no assessment of the merits of using osteopathy to treat long-term musculoskeletal conditions.

Patient Outcome and Death, Trauma: Who Cares?

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take in response to the second report of the National Confidential Inquiry into Patient Outcome and Death: Trauma, Who Cares?; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: In the NHS Next Stage Review, clinicians in nine strategic health authorities are discussing the best models of care, including acute care, which should lead to improved trauma services.

Patients

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition he uses of exceptional in relation to patients who are thereby given health treatments.

Ben Bradshaw: The Secretary of State does not define what constitutes exceptional in relation to the funding of treatment. If a primary care trust (PCT) has a general policy of not funding a particular treatment, it is for the PCT to determine whether there are exceptional circumstances that justify treatment in any individual case. What constitutes 'exceptional circumstances' depends on the treatment in question and is to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Pharmacology: Clinical Trials

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require pharmaceutical companies to disclose the evidence from all their clinical trials.

Dawn Primarolo: The conduct of clinical trials in the European Union (EU) is governed by EU law, implemented in the United Kingdom by means of regulations. These represent a comprehensive framework for the conduct of clinical trials, including requirements on reporting. However, following an investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency into allegations that GlaxoSmithKline withheld relevant information gathered in clinical trials on the use of Seroxat in children and adolescents, some weaknesses in the law as it stood at the time of the alleged offences were identified. The Government have made a commitment to clarify and strengthen both EU and UK law in this area. We will seek to strengthen EU legislation on the obligations on pharmaceutical companies to report any information impacting on the risk and benefits of licensed medicines, including the results of clinical trials. In the meantime we will clarify the current law as it applies in the UK. Consultation on changes to UK law will take place in the summer.

Pharmacy: Payments

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total reduction was in fees payable to pharmacies by primary care trusts as a result of the reduction in practice payment fees in the period from October 2007 to January 2008.

Dawn Primarolo: Data are only available for the three months October to December 2007. In this period, the reduction in total practice payment fees was 20 million.

Prescriptions: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of  (a) dispensing and  (b) non-dispensing GPs were using the Electronic Prescriptions Service system in each month since its inception; and how many and what proportion of prescriptions were issued in each month since the inception of the Electronic Prescriptions Service by (i) dispensing and (ii) non-dispensing general practitioners.

Ben Bradshaw: The month-by-month split between dispensing and non-dispensing general practitioners (GPs) using the electronic prescription service (EPS) is not recorded. At present, it is not possible to differentiate between individual dispensing, and non-dispensing practice generated electronic prescription messages, and individual dispensing and non-dispensing GP prescribing behaviours.
	The following table provides the combined total number of electronic prescriptions generated at both dispensing and non-dispensing doctor practices.
	
		
			   Total number of EPS prescription messages generated by GPs  Total number of EPS dispense notification messages sent by pharmacy 
			  2005   
			 February 607 158 
			 March 3,442 1,110 
			 April 2,887 1,284 
			 May 3,576 1,624 
			 June 3,394 700 
			 July 6,135 1,176 
			 August 6,432 1,118 
			 September 14,400 1,504 
			 October 46,039 1,485 
			 November 69,823 1,844 
			 December 68,365 2,451 
			
			  2006   
			 January 87,074 1,594 
			 February 153,771 809 
			 March 260,898 3,476 
			 April 262,952 2,458 
			 May 439,427 2,227 
			 June 662,362 7,594 
			 July 816,584 4,248 
			 August 1,083,300 7,793 
			 September 1,362,209 8,955 
			 October 1,361,877 17,110 
			 November 1,539,616 22,396 
			 December 1,607,737 23,308 
			
			  2007   
			 January 1,988,882 31,708 
			 February 2,223,368 44,690 
			 March 2,617,552 59,528 
			 April 2,493,531 51,913 
			 May 3,351,179 89,128 
			 June 3,575,681 126,382 
			 July 4,454,930 158,129 
			 August 4,982,637 191,288 
			 September 4,935,859 226,683 
			 October 6,291,931 273,948 
			 November 5,855,981 276,397 
			 December 5,573,366 255,016 
			
			  2008   
			 January 6,897,355 370,909 
			 February 6,623,597 428,500 
			 1 March to 17 March 4,890,086 243,144 
			 Total 75,003,880 2,951,526

Prescriptions: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of  (a) general practitioners and  (b) doctors in other settings are (i) able to issue and (ii) regularly issuing electronic prescriptions.

Ben Bradshaw: 6,676 (79 per cent.) of general practitioner practices have had the software upgrades needed to operate the electronic prescription service (EPS), of which 5,433 (64.1 per cent.) have been confirmed by primary care trusts as able to issue electronic prescriptions. Currently, over 1.5 million electronic prescription messages are issued each week. The number of individual general practitioners and doctors in other settings that are able to and regularly use the EPS is not captured nationally.

Royal Lancaster Infirmary

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many official complaints about treatment in  (a) the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and  (b) Westmorland General Hospital were received in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Written complaints about hospital and community services within Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust where treatment is recorded as the complaint is as follows:
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 All aspects of clinical treatment 172 198 201 
			 Consent to treatment Nil 2 Nil 
			  Notes: 1. Morecambe Bay NHS Trust contains Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Westmorland General Hospital, Furness General Hospital and Queen Victoria Hospital. 2. Data as at 1 April to 31 March.  Source: Information Centre for health and social care.

Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Influenza

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1086W, on Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Influenza, 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library copies of the  (a) agendas for the (i) induction meeting on 4 March 2008 and (ii) meeting on 4 April 2008 and  (b) the minutes of the induction meeting of 4 March 2008; and if he will make a statement; [R]
	(2)  if he will place in the Library copies of the Scientific Advisory Sub-group on Modelling's minutes of its meetings of  (a) 15 January 2007,  (b) 29 March 2007,  (c) 6 June 2007 and  (d) 19 October 2007; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Dawn Primarolo: The Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Influenza was reviewed in 2007 and has been replaced by the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Committee (SPI). The induction meeting on 4 March 2008 for SPI was informal to provide members with background information related to the pandemic influenza preparedness programme. No notes of the meeting were taken.
	The agenda for the SPI induction, and its first meeting on 4 March 2008, have been placed in the Library. The agreed minutes of the SPI meeting will also be placed in the Library once they are available.
	As a working group, the scientific sub-group on modelling does not take minutes as such, but instead updates their modelling summary based on the discussions held within the group and the conclusions reached. The latest available summary has been placed in the Library.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged  (a) 40 to 49,  (b) 50 to 59,  (c) 60 to 69,  (d) 70 to 79 and  (e) 80 years and above, were diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in each of the last five years, broken down by disease.

Dawn Primarolo: Data by age group are only collected for selected sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in certain age range formats which are 35 to 44, 45 to 64 and over 65. The number of STIs diagnosed in genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics, within these age ranges broken down by infection from 2002 to 2006, the latest year for which figures are available, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Sexually transmitted infection  Age group  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Uncomplicated chlamydial infection 35 to 44 5,559 5,828 5,962 6,170 6,501 
			  45 to 64 1,276 1,359 1,592 1,782 1,933 
			  over 65 59 80 72 65 81 
			
			 Uncomplicated gonorrhoea 35 to 44 3,506 3,441 3,049 2,745 2,597 
			  45 to 64 1,145 1,182 1,108 1,005 1,102 
			  over 65 53 52 62 42 59 
			
			 Anogenital herpes simplexfirst attack 35 to 44 2,937 2,917 2,838 2,742 3,071 
			  45 to 64 1,379 1,294 1,363 1,412 1,563 
			  over 65 75 69 86 84 83 
			
			 Anogenital wartsfirst attack 35 to 44 7,219 7,331 7,649 7,409 7,667 
			  45 to 64 2,800 3,037 3,155 3,220 3,425 
			  over 65 185 191 214 190 217 
			
			 Primary and secondary infectious syphilis 35 to 44 393 493 709 806 868 
			  45 to 64 172 237 335 443 411 
			  over 65 12 14 17 21 37 
			  Notes: 1. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are for diagnoses made in GUM clinics only. Diagnoses made in other clinical settings, such as general practice, are not recorded in the KC60 dataset. 2. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are the number of diagnoses made, not the number of patients diagnosed. Individual patients may have more than one diagnosis in a year. 3. The information provided has been adjusted for missing clinic data. 4. Data are not yet available for 2007. 5. Aggregated data are collected in a predefined format and age group can only be presented in the above categories. 6. Data by age group are only collected for selected STIs (uncomplicated chlamydial infection, uncomplicated gonorrhoea, anogenital herpes simplexfirst attack, anogenital wartsfirst attack and primary and secondary infectious syphilis).  Source: Health Protection Agency, KC60 returns

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Children

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to reduce the number of children with sexually transmitted diseases.

Dawn Primarolo: Improving young people's sexual health is a priority for the Government and is being tackled in a number of ways. These include national media campaigns highlighting the benefits of delaying first sex and highlighting the risks of sexually transmitted infections and promoting condom use for those that are sexually active. We have also introduced a national target to offer access to genito-urinary medicine clinics within 48 hours and rolled out the National Chlamydia Screening Programme. These measures will reduce the risk of undiagnosed infection being transmitted to others.

Smoking

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect of banning the display of cigarettes in shops on smoking levels among  (a) adults and  (b) children.

Dawn Primarolo: In the Cancer Reform Strategy published in December 2007, the Department has undertaken to consult on the next steps in tobacco control later this year. We will consider evidence on the issue during the consultation. However, a preliminary assessment of the published evidence from jurisdictions including Canada, Australia and New Zealand suggests that in-store advertising of tobacco, including point-of-sale displays, has an impact on children and young people's attitudes to smoking.

Social Services: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what additional money allocated to social care from the NHS budget in Budget 2008 will be spent on in each year, broken down by budget;
	(2)  how much of the  (a) 166 million in 2008-09,  (b) 236 million in 2009-10 and  (c) 230 million in 2010-11 to be transferred from the NHS England's resource DEL to the Department of Health's resource DEL is as a result of the transfer of functions from the NHS to social care; and how much has been transferred from the NHS to other Government departments in each year.

Ben Bradshaw: 30 million (4 per cent.) only of the reported 692 million does not relate to transfer of functions from the national health service to social care. The 30 million that is not a transfer to social care comprises:
	20 million for a Ministry of Justice Transfer into NHS funds for Healthcare Escorts and Bed Watches that was assumed in NHS Baseline but not yet actioned on HM Treasury Database.
	10 million of small machinery of government type changes the largest being a 3.85 million transfer to cover Spanish pensions liabilities.
	The following table gives an explanation of the transfers from NHS England's Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) to Personal Social Services (PSS) and other Government Departments.
	
		
			  Explanation of reported changes to NHS DEL position 
			million 
			   2009-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Total Difference in reported NHS DEL positions 166 236 230 
			  Of which:
			 PSS pressures funded from NHS:
			 Social Care Reform including prevention 65 165 158 
			 Total 65 165 158 
			 
			 PSS pressures funded by transfer of NHS Function
			 Area based grant: Local Involvement Networks (LINks) 27 27 27 
			 Central support for grants LINks 1 1 1 
			 Area based grant: Learning Disability Development Fund 43 43 43 
			 Total 71 71 71 
			 
			 Others
			 Technical Timing Issue (transfer into Department for Health DEL not yet actioned) 20 0 0 
			 Other Government Department transfers 10 0 1 
			 Total 30 0 1

Streptococcus: Screening

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1328W, on Streptococcus screening, when he expects to receive a response from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Dawn Primarolo: NICE has not been asked to appraise the enriched culture method (ECM) test for Group B Streptococcus (GBS). NICE is currently revising the approach it takes in considering proposals for appraisals of diagnostics, including the proposal to appraise the ECM test for GBS. NICE's future approach for considering proposals for appraisals of diagnostics is expected to be considered by NICE's Board and the Department this year. NICE will consider the suitability of the proposed appraisal of the ECM test for GBS for referral to its work programme following the agreement of a new approach.

Surgery: Private Sector

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many surgical procedures have been carried out in non-NHS hospitals per annum at a cost to the public purse since 2000; and of these, how many resulted in episodes of  (a) MRSA,  (b) Clostridium difficile and  (c) norovirus.

Ben Bradshaw: The Finance, Performance and Operations (FPO) Directorate collects data on the independent sector (IS) programme and the IS extended choice network (IS ECN). We are unable to comment on other non-NHS hospitals.
	Since the first IS treatment centres opened in 2003 a total of 250,345 elective procedures have been carried out through Wave 1 and Phase 2. In addition to this, 8,086 elective procedures have been carried out in the IS ECN programme to date, which started in January 2007.
	For Wave 1, the FPO does not collect infection data through key performance indicators (KPIs).
	Since August 2007 methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) rates for Phase 2 have been collected through three KPIs for MRSA (within 48 hours), MRSA (after 48 hours) and MRSA (repeat cultures). From August 2007 to February 2008 a rate of 0 per cent. for all MRSA KPIs is recorded.

Translation Services

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Dudley, North of 28 February 2007,  Official Report, column 1435W, on translation services, how much was spent on translation services into  (a) Welsh and  (b) other languages in 2005 and 2006.

Ben Bradshaw: It is not possible to provide the breakdown of expenditure requested as we do not keep specific records of translation costs by language. Total expenditure on translation services was:
	2005: 154,720; and
	2006: 180,319
	This covered the translation of publications relative to England and Wales plus translations of correspondence in languages other than English.

Translation Services

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2530W, on translation services, how much was spent on translation services into  (a) Welsh and  (b) other languages in 2007.

Ben Bradshaw: It is not possible to provide the breakdown of expenditure requested as we do not keep specific records of translation costs by language. Total expenditure by the Department for the 2007 was 141,352.
	This covered the translation of publications relative to England and Wales plus translations of correspondence in languages other than English.

Trauma

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he issued to trusts on the provision of appropriately trained doctors to treat cases of severe trauma at the scene of the incident.

Ben Bradshaw: The appropriate response to cases of severe trauma is a matter for the national health service to manage locally.
	As part of the NHS Next Stage Review, however, clinicians in nine strategic health authorities are discussing the best models of care, including acute care, which should lead to improved trauma services.
	The NHS Emergency Planning Guidance 2005 describes the arrangements for the organisation of immediate medical care at the scene of a major incident.

Trauma

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of pre-hospital care in trauma patients, with particular reference to airway management.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department expects the local national health service to have robust arrangements in place for managing the appropriate response to cases of severe trauma.
	Ambulance staff are trained to provide airway care and are expected to act in line with specific clinical guidelines on airway care, as set out in the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee's clinical practice guidelines; which are available at:
	www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/research/hsri/emergencycare/jrcalc_2006/guidelines/trauma_emergencies_in_ adults_overview_2006.pdf

WORK AND PENSIONS

Annuities

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will increase the age at which people are required to buy annuities from their pension funds; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 27 March 2008
	I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have no current plans to increase the age limit for compulsory annuitisation.
	The Government set out their approach to annuities in their December 2006 publication: The Annuities Market.
	The age of earliest possible annuitisation will rise from 50 to 55 in 2010, in line with Government policy to encourage greater participation in the labour market by older workers. The latest available evidence suggests that the upper age limit (age 75) is not currently a significant constraint on retirement planning as only one in 20 people annuitise between ages 70 and 74. The limit therefore reflects current retirement patterns.
	Evidence suggests that age 75 strikes a balance between flexibility in securing an income and ensuring that tax incentives are used for their intended purpose of providing a pension income.
	The latest evidence from the Government Actuary's Department (GAD) also shows that increasingly during an individual's early 70sand certainly by around 75the rates of return required from alternative assets become unrealistically high for any individual in retirement to justify further delaying annuitisation.

Carter  Carter Group

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact on the persons undertaking training provided by Carter and Carter Group plc of the entry into administration of that company.

Stephen Timms: Carter and Carter continued to deliver all contracted services for my Department during its period in administration. The responsibility for these has now been transferred to the new owner, Newcastle College. There has been no impact on any services delivered for my Department by Carter and Carter from this change of ownership.

Carter  Carter Group

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what provision he has made to ensure the continuous provision of places on employment training programmes following the entry into administration of Carter and Carter Group plc.

Stephen Timms: The administrator has sold most of the Carter and Carter group to Newcastle College, including the part of the group that delivers the contracts with my Department. Services have been provided as normal since entry into administration.

Child Support Agency

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a quarterly return showing the  (a) average length of time taken to clear old scheme Child Support Agency cases and  (b) the average age of uncleared cases under the old scheme.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 21 April 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a quarterly return showing the (a) average length of time taken to clear old scheme Child Support Agency cases and (b) the average age of uncleared cases under the old scheme.
	The Agency begins to process new applications as soon as they are received and continues until they have been cleared. Any old scheme applications that have not been recorded on our computer question systems as cleared have been regarded as outstanding in the answer to this question. The Agency has significantly reduced the number of old scheme cases recorded as uncleared from 66,900 in March 2006 to 30,200 in December 2007. This is a 55 per cent decrease since the introduction of the Operational Improvement Plan.
	Additional information on uncleared old scheme cases can be found in table 2.1 of the December 2007 CSA Quarterly summary of statistics (QSS), available in the House of Commons Library on online at; http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/csa.asp.
	Old scheme cases shown as uncleared are by definition a number of years old, and will include a significant number of cases which are suspended as the non-resident par4ent remains untraced, or cases which have been maintained clerically or have in fact been closed but remain stuck on the computer system and therefore recorded as outstaying. The average length of time taken to clear old scheme cases and the average age of uncleared old scheme cases therefore increasingly becomes less meaningful.
	As we move towards the launch of the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission the measures needed to improve transparency across the whole range of information available on child support will need to be carefully considered.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: Debts

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Child Support Agency's total gross debt outstanding was for the year April 2006 to March 2007; how much of this debt was accrued under the  (a) old and  (b) new system; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 21 April 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Child Support Agency's total gross debt outstanding was for the year April 2006 to March 2007; how much of this debt was accrued under the (a) old and (b) new system; and if he will make a statement.
	In answering this question, we have understood the old and new systems to refer to the old and new child support schemes and not the old and new child support computer systems. We are unable to classify the debt accrued in the year to March 2007 as you have requested and have therefore classified the total debt outstanding as at March 2007 in the attached table.
	This debt has accrued over the 14 years of the Agency's operation and represents money owed by non-resident parents who have failed to meet their financial responsibilities towards their children.
	The Agency's efforts are currently aimed at slowing the rate of growth and we have significantly slowed the rate at which debt accrues from around 20 million a month in 2005/2006 to around 16 million a month in 2006/2007. In total the Agency has collected over 181m in maintenance arrears since April 2006 and continues to make good progress towards meeting the Operational Improvement Plan commitment of collecting an additional 200m in arrears by March 2009 in addition to the 80m it was collecting each year at the inception of the plan.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Breakdown of debt: March 2007 
			  Outstanding gross debt  Total ( billion) 
			 Accrued under old scheme assessment(1) 3.3 
			 Accrued under new scheme assessment(2) 0.3 
			 Unknown(3) 0.1 
			 Total gross debt 3.7 
			 (1) Includes debt accrued on cases assessed under old scheme assessment rules which are maintained on either the old and current computer systems (CSCS and CS2). (2) Includes debt accrued on cases assessed under the new scheme only and assessed on the new computer system (CS2). (3) Cases currently maintained on the current computer system (CS2) but where it is not possible to identify under which assessment scheme the debt accrued.

Child Support Agency: Manpower

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the staffing costs of  (a) the Child Support Agency in each year until it is wound up and  (b) the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission in each of the first five years of operation.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2803W.
	Information on staffing costs for the current financial year will be published in the Agency's 2007-08 Annual Report and Accounts.
	All people who carry out functions of the Child Support Agency in Great Britain will move to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, at the same time as the functions are transferred.
	Future staffing levels and costs will be for the Commission to decide.

Children: Maintenance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what proportion of child support cases had maintenance outstanding for periods of  (a) zero to six weeks,  (b) six to 12 weeks,  (c) 12 weeks to six months,  (d) six to nine months,  (d ) nine to 12 months and  (e ) over 12 months in each of the last 10 years; and how many and what proportion of these received payments from the Child Support Agency outside normal maintenance payments, broken down by type of payment;
	(2)  how much was paid by the Child Support Agency to families outside maintenance payments in each of the last 10 years, broken down by type of payment.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 21 April 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	; and
	.
	In order to answer this question we have interpreted the proportion of cases with maintenance outstanding as the proportion of current cases with debt.
	Information on the proportion of cases categorised by the age of the outstanding debt and held on the current computer system (CS2) is provided in the attached Table 1. This analysis can not be carried out on the information we hold on cases prior to February 2007, therefore the analysis is based on the latest information available at December 2007. It is also not possible to perform this analysis for cases maintained on the old computer system (CSCS). As at December 2007, 48 per cent of current cases on the CSCS system have debt outstanding.
	The Child Support Agency operates a discretionary, non-statutory scheme providing financial redress for maladministration. Payments may be made to redress any financial losses incurred and can include consolatory payments made by way of an apology for delay, inconvenience, worry and distress caused.
	It is not possible to include the information we hold on these payments in the analysis of the outstanding debt set out in Table 1. Therefore such information as is available on these payments has been provided separately in the attached Table 2.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Table 1: Proportion of current cases with debt on CS2 by age of oldest debt, December 2007 
			  Age of debt  Proportion (percentage) of cases on CS2 with debt. 
			 0 to 3 months 8 
			 3 to 6 months 5 
			 6 to 9 months 6 
			 9 to 12 months 5 
			 Over 12 months 45 
			 Unknown 4 
			  Notes:  1. Includes debt on cases maintained on CS2 only.  2. Only debt accrued while the case has been maintained on CS2 can be aged. Unknown age band includes cases where debt has migrated from the CSCS computer system.  3. Percentages rounded to nearest whole per cent.  4. The specific weekly age bands requested are not available. Monthly time bands available in the existing management information are instead provided. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number and value of payments made by Child Support Agency for financial loss, compensation for delay and consolatory payments 
			   Actual financial loss  Compensation delay  Consolatory 
			   Number of  payments  authorised  Total value of  payments ( million)  Number of  payments authorised  Total value of  payments ( million)  Number of payments  authorised  Total value of payments ( million) 
			 1998-99 4,300 3.3 1,100 0.3 4,200 0.6 
			 1999-2000 3,700 1.8 700 0.3 4,500 0.5 
			 2000-01 5,200 1.9 800 0.2 6,600 0.7 
			 2001-02 6,300 1.6 900 0.2 8,300 0.7 
			 2002-03 5,900 1.3 700 0.2 8,400 0.7 
			 2003-04 4,900 1.4 800 0.1 5,600 0.4 
			 2004-05 7,100 2.4 1,700 0.1 9,000 0.6 
			 2005-06 5,900 3.1 2,100 0.2 9,200 0.6 
			 2006-07 4,700 2.5 1,900 0.4 9,200 0.7 
			  Notes: 1. Figures relate to payments made. It is not possible to identify how many of the payments authorised are for families. Some payments may be for non-resident parents. 2. Number of authorised payments rounded to nearest 100,000 Value of payments rounded to nearest 100,000. 3. Figures to 2005-06 show payments awarded in each year for Actual Financial Loss, Compensation for Delay and Consolatory Payments. These will include timing differences when reconciling to the Annual Report  Accounts. Figures for 2006/7 are actual payments and are aligned with the Annual Report.

Children: Maintenance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what number and proportion of cases with arrears outstanding the Child Support Agency is taking enforcement action, broken down by type of action being taken.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 21 April 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what number and proportion of cases with arrears outstanding the Child Support Agency is taking enforcement action broken down by type of action being taken.
	The data required to answer this question comes from several different information flows. Our information systems do not allow us to compare the number of cases with arrears outstanding to the number of individual enforcement actions taken. The Agency routinely reports on the number of enforcement actions instigated in Table 21 of the Child Support Agency's Quarterly Summary of Statistics. This is available online at www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/csa.asp or in the House of Commons Library.
	In the year to October 2007, the Agency undertook 102,120 new legal and administrative enforcement actions. These covered a range of processes including distress actions, county court judgement orders, 3rd party debt orders, charging orders, suspended committal sentences, committal sentences, requests for new deduction from earnings orders and deductions from earnings requests, suspended driving licence disqualifications and driving licence disqualifications. As the Agency records the numbers of enforcement actions rather than the number of cases, different types of enforcement action may relate to the same case.
	In addition it should be noted that Table 9 of the Agency's Quarterly Summary of Statistics shows that a total of 169,700 deductions from earnings orders or requests were in place in October 2007. This figure will include all new deduction from earnings orders or requests noted in Table 21 and above.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many parents with care  (a) on and  (b) not on income support and income based jobseeker's allowance were entitled to maintenance via the Child Support Agency in each quarter since 1997, broken down by region.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 21 April 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the chief executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents with care  (a) on and  (b) not on income support and income based jobseeker's allowance were entitled to maintenance via the Child Support Agency in each quarter since 1997, broken down by region.
	The information requested is provided in the attached table.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Cases with a Positive Maintenance Liability broken down by Benefit Status and Region of the Parent with Care: 
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire/Humberside 
			   Parent with Care on IS/JSA (IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB)  Parent with Care on IS/JSA (IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB)  Parent with Care on IS/JSA (IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB) 
			 February 1997 11,200 13,100 26,700 30,500 18,200 19,800 
			 May 1997 10,900 14,100 26,100 31,400 17,700 21,400 
			 August 1997 11,000 15,000 26,600 33,500 17,500 22,400 
			 November 1997 10,900 16,300 26,000 36,600 16,800 24,500 
			 February 1998 11,200 16,800 27,100 39,400 16,900 26,100 
			 May 1998 11,700 17,900 27,700 42,800 17,100 27,400 
			 August 1998 11,500 20,100 27,600 44,500 17,200 29,800 
			 November 1998 11,900 20,600 26,400 45,100 17,300 31,700 
			 February 1999 12,800 21,100 27,300 46,600 18,000 33,700 
			 May 1999 13,100 22,500 28,000 48,900 18,500 35,500 
			 August 1999 13,500 23,200 27,900 50,500 19,300 36,300 
			 November 1999 14,500 24,300 27,800 52,600 18,900 37,600 
			 February 2000 14,400 25,100 27,400 54,400 18,600 38,400 
			 May 2000 14,500 25,500 27,300 55,400 18,100 39,300 
			 August 2000 14,500 25,600 26,500 54,200 17,800 39,900 
			 November 2000 14,400 25,900 25,600 54,800 17,200 39,900 
			 February 2001 14,300 26,700 25,300 54,100 17,200 39,900 
			 May 2001 14,000 27,400 23,600 53,800 16,500 40,600 
			 August 2001 13,800 27,000 23,800 53,900 16,600 41,200 
			 November 2001 13,600 28,200 22,800 54,200 16,000 42,500 
			 February 2002 12,900 28,100 23,000 54,600 15,400 43,200 
			 May 2002 12,400 27,800 23,300 55,000 15,300 43,500 
			 August 2002 12,100 27,900 23,400 54,000 14,900 43,000 
			 November 2002 11,500 28,500 22,900 56,300 14,200 44,000 
			 February 2003 10,300 25,200 21,500 51,400 12,500 38,600 
			 May 2003 10,100 24,300 21,300 50,000 12,500 38,200 
			 August 2003 10,000 23,800 20,800 49,400 12,200 38,000 
			 November 2003 9,800 23,100 20,900 50,600 11,700 38,600 
			 February 2004 10,200 23,400 22,200 50,900 12,100 39,000 
			 May 2004 10,300 24,200 23,000 52,400 12,700 39,700 
			 August 2004 10,800 25,000 24,100 54,600 13,700 40,600 
			 November 2004 11,600 27,000 25,800 58,500 15,400 43,400 
			 February 2005 12,000 27,300 26,700 60,300 15,800 44,300 
			 May 2005 12,300 27,500 28,000 61,900 16,900 45,200 
			 August 2005 12,800 27,700 29,000 62,300 17,500 46,300 
			 November 2005 13,200 28,400 29,700 63,300 18,500 47,200 
			 February 2006 13,900 28,700 31,200 64,100 19,800 47,500 
			 May 2006 14,700 29,000 32,700 64,400 20,500 48,500 
			 August 2006 15,100 29,300 34,300 65,200 21,600 49,000 
			 November 2006 15,600 29,900 35,000 66,800 21,800 48,000 
			 February 2007 16,500 29,500 35,800 65,300 22,800 48,500 
			 May 2007 17,100 30,600 37,100 68,000 24,300 50,200 
		
	
	
		
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire/Humberside 
			   Parent with Care on IS/JSA (IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB)  Parent with Care on IS/JSA (IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB)  Parent with Care on IS/JSA (IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB) 
			 February 1997 12,400 14,400 19,700 20,000 16,100 17,100 
			 May 1997 12,200 15,400 19,000 21,700 15,400 19,100 
			 August 1997 12,300 16,300 19,000 23,100 15,400 20,600 
			 November 1997 12,100 18,500 18,100 25,500 15,300 22,400 
			 February 1998 12,200 19,700 18,500 26,900 15,700 23,800 
			 May 1998 11,900 20,900 18,100 29,300 15,700 25,500 
			 August 1998 12,300 22,600 18,600 30,200 16,200 26,900 
			 November 1998 12,500 24,000 18,200 32,000 16,500 28,600 
			 February 1999 13,200 25,300 17,900 33,800 16,500 30,000 
			 May 1999 13,400 26,700 18,500 34,900 16,700 31,600 
			 August 1999 13,600 27,300 19,100 36,000 17,200 32,000 
			 November 1999 12,900 28,500 18,500 37,200 16,600 33,600 
			 February 2000 12,400 29,800 18,300 38,200 16,100 34,600 
			 May 2000 12,200 30,200 18,300 38,600 16,200 35,400 
			 August 2000 12,400 30,600 18,500 38,500 16,400 35,700 
			 November 2000 11,700 30,800 17,600 37,900 15,800 35,900 
			 February 2001 11,700 31,100 17,500 37,000 15,900 35,600 
			 May 2001 11,400 31,200 16,300 36,700 15,400 36,200 
			 August 2001 1:1,200 31,500 15,900 36,900 15,000 36,900 
			 November 2001 11,100 32,000 14,900 37,300 14,300 38,200 
			 February 2002 10,600 32,700 15,000 37,800 14,000 38,300 
			 May 2002 10,500 33,100 14,800 38,300 13,800 38,800 
			 August 2002 9,900 32,800 14,800 37,800 13,300 38,000 
			 November 2002 9,200 33,800 14,000 38,200 12,900 38,900 
			 February 2003 8,400 28,900 13,200 34,300 12,100 33,400 
			 May 2003 8,000 28,600 12,700 33,100 11,500 32,900 
			 August 2003 8,200 28,300 12,000 32,900 11,000 33,300 
			 November 2003 8,300 28,400 12,600 33,500 10,600 33,800 
			 February 2004 8,400 29,100 13,600 33,900 10,700 33,300 
			 May 2004 8,600 29,900 14,200 35,200 11,200 34,000 
			 August 2004 9,300 30,900 15,000 36,300 12,000 35,300 
			 November 2004 10,600 32,700 15,900 39,300 12,800 37,400 
			 February 2005 10,800 33,700 16,300 40,400 13,300 38,100 
			 May 2005 11,400 34,700 16,700 41,100 14,000 38,700 
			 August 2005 12,000 35,100 17,400 41,900 14,800 39,700 
			 November 2005 12,500 36,100 18,600 43,300 15,500 40,600 
			 February 2006 13,000 37,000 20,400 44,200 16,500 41,400 
			 May 2006 14,000 38,100 22,500 45,100 17,300 42,300 
			 August 2006 14,800 39,000 23,800 45,600 18,000 43,400 
			 November 2006 15,100 37,700 24,500 46,900 18,400 43,200 
			 February 2007 15,700 38,100 25,000 46,800 18,700 42,400 
			 May 2007 16,700 39,700 26,100 48,500 19,500 44,000 
		
	
	
		
			   London  South East  South West 
			   Parent with Care on IS/JSA (IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB)  Parent with Care on IS/JSA (IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB)  Parent with Care on IS/JSA (IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB) 
			 February 1997 19,200 13,400 23,000 28,100 15,400 21,000 
			 May 1997 18,800 14,200 22,400 30,800 15,700 22,300 
			 August 1997 18,900 14,700 22,900 32,700 16,000 24,900 
			 November 1997 18,400 16,700 23,100 35,300 15,700 26,800 
			 February 1998 18,700 17,900 22,700 37,800 15,700 27,400 
			 May 1998 18,800 18,500 22,700 39,400 15,900 29,100 
			 August 1998 19,000 19,200 23,200 40,800 16,200 30,000 
			 November 1998 19,300 20,200 22,900 43,300 16,600 30,600 
			 February 1999 20,200 21,200 23,600 43,400 17,300 30,300 
			 May 1999 20,400 21,900 23,800 45,500 17,500 32,000 
			 August 1999 21,000 22,500 24,800 46,300 17,400 33,200 
			 November 1999 21,500 23,300 25,200 48,300 17,100 35,000 
			 February 2000 21,300 24,400 24,900 49,500 17,400 36,300 
			 May 2000 21,000 25,600 24,500 51,300 17,400 37,600 
			 August 2000 21,500 25,800 24,200 51,800 17,400 38,000 
			 November 2000 20,400 25,900 22,900 50,900 16,300 36,300 
			 February 2001 19,900 24,700 22,300 50,600 15,500 36,400 
			 May 2001 19,400 25,000 21,500 51,000 14,600 36,400 
			 August 2001 19,200 25,300 21,300 51,300 14,500 36,500 
			 November 2001 18,100 26,700 21,100 53,200 14,500 37,500 
			 February 2002 18,100 27,100 21,900 53,400 15,000 37,700 
			 May 2002 18,000 27,600 22,100 54,400 15,300 38,400 
			 August 2002 18,000 26,900 22,200 54,400 15,300 37,800 
			 November 2002 18,200 26,900 21,400 55,200 14,500 37,800 
			 February 2003 17,700 24,200 20,000 49,600 13,700 34,500 
			 May 2003 17,400 24,200 19,200 49,100 13,000 34,800 
			 August 2003 17,100 24,400 19,200 48,900 13,000 35,500 
			 November 2003 17,300 25,100 19,300 50,100 13,000 36,600 
			 February 2004 17,800 25,900 20,200 50,700 13,800 37,300 
			 May 2004 18,700 26,400 21,000 52,200 14,300 38,600 
			 August 2004 20,000 27,300 21,600 53,700 14,700 40,300 
			 November 2004 21,500 28,900 23,000 57,400 16,100 42,800 
			 February 2005 21,500 29,400 23,300 58,300 16,400 44,100 
			 May 2005 22,300 30,200 24,700 59,500 17,000 45,300 
			 August 2005 24,000 31,100 26,000 60,600 18,000 46,300 
			 November 2005 25,700 32,200 26,800 62,300 18,200 47,300 
			 February 2006 27,400 32,800 27,900 63,700 18,600 48,200 
			 May 2006 29,100 33,400 28,800 65,200 19,000 48,900 
			 August 2006 30,600 34,200 29,500 66,100 19,500 49,600 
			 November 2006 31,300 34,700 29,500 67,700 19,900 50,200 
			 February 2007 31,100 32,600 29,600 65,300 20,300 48,800 
			 May 2007 32,700 33,700 30,500 67,400 20,800 50,300 
		
	
	
		
			   Wales  Scotland  Unknown/Abroad/N Ireland 
			   Parent with Care on ISMSA(IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB)  Parent with Care on IS/JSA(IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB)  Parent with Care on IS/JSA(IB)  Parent with Care not on IS/JSA IB) 
			 February 1997 12,200 12,700 16,300 18,600 0 0 
			 May 1997 11,900 13,500 15,700 19,100 0 0 
			 August 1997 12,200 14,400 15,700 20,600 0 0 
			 November 1997 12,200 16,100 15,500 22,500 0 100 
			 February 1998 12,500 17,600 15,600 23,400 0 100 
			 May 1998 12,600 19,100 16,000 25,400 0 100 
			 August 1998 13,200 19,900 17,000 26,300 0 100 
			 November 1998 12,700 19,600 17,000 27,500 0 100 
			 February 1999 13,900 20,500 17,700 29,800 0 100 
			 May 1999 14,200 21,300 19,300 31,500 0 200 
			 August 1999 14,800 21,900 20,400 32,500 0 300 
			 November 1999 14,700 23,000 20,200 34,700 0 300 
			 February 2000 14,300 23,800 20,100 36,500 0 300 
			 May 2000 13,900 24,800 19,600 37,900 0 300 
			 August 2000 13,600 23,700 19,800 38,500 0 300 
			 November 2000 13,300 23,800 19,100 39,400 0 300 
			 February 2001 13,200 23,900 19,300 39,300 0 300 
			 May 2001 12,600 23,700 18,900 40,100 0 300 
			 August 2001 12,400 24,200 19,000 40,300 0 300 
			 November 2001 11,900 24,600 18,300 42,100 0 300 
			 February 2002 12,000 24,200 17,500 42,100 0 200 
			 May 2002 12,500 24,300 16,900 41,500 0 200 
			 August 2002 12,700 24,400 17,500 40,500 0 200 
			 November 2002 12,500 25,200 16,600 42,300 0 300 
			 February 2003 11,100 23,600 15,200 37,400 0 300 
			 May 2003 10,900 23,600 14,900 36,700 2,800 4,400 
			 August 2003 10,500 23,100 14,800 36,000 8,300 9,900 
			 November 2003 10,700 23,400 14,400 34,800 13,700 14,700 
			 February 2004 11,000 23,800 15,100 35,300 15,300 15,800 
			 May 2004 11,600 24,500 15,200 35,900 13,900 15,000 
			 August 2004 12,100 25,100 16,400 37,000 9,600 11,300 
			 November 2004 12,800 27,100 17,800 39,600 400 1,200 
			 February 2005 13,400 27,600 18,300 40,600 300 1,200 
			 May 2005 13,700 28,000 18,700 41,100 300 1,200 
			 August 2005 14,400 28,200 19,400 41,800 300 1,300 
			 November 2005 14,900 28,300 20,100 43,100 300 1,400 
			 February 2006 15,500 28,400 21,400 43,700 300 1,400 
			 May 2006 15,700 28,800 22,700 43,900 300 1,500 
			 August 2006 16,200 28,900 23,600 43,900 300 1,500 
			 November 2006 16,400 29,600 23,600 45,200 300 1,600 
			 February 2007 16,800 28,900 24,000 44,500 300 1,600 
			 May 2007 17,000 30,100 24,800 46,000 400 1,700 
			  Notes: 1. Volumes are at a case level. Parents with care involved in more than one case will be included multiple times. 2. Includes all cases with a positive maintenance liability. 3. On benefit defined as cases where parent with care is in receipt of income support or income based jobseeker's allowance or if the partner of the parent with care is in receipt of either of these benefits. 4. Unknown, Northern Ireland and Abroad category includes cases where the postcode of the parent with care is not recorded on management information. A large increase in 'unknown' region cases occurred from March 2003 onwards with the introduction of the new CS2 computer system. A data cleanse operation took place towards the end of 2004 to solve this problem. 5. Figures rounded to nearest 100.

Children: Poverty

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons children seeking asylum are not included in the Government's target to eradicate child poverty in the UK by 2020.

Stephen Timms: The target to eradicate child poverty does not exclude children of asylum seekers. Children of asylum seekers are already included in the child poverty statistics and therefore in the target unless they live in households that have been resident in the UK for less than six months or live in communal addresses such as hostels, hotels and boarding houses.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions at how many events held by his Department  (a) wine and  (b) Fairtrade wine were served in the last three years; and what assessment his Department has made of the merits of serving Fairtrade wine at future events.

Anne McGuire: No central records are held on when wine has been served at events held by DWP and these could only be obtained at disproportional cost.
	In accordance with Government policy the Department is committed to fair trade and ethical supply routes. Where practicable, the Department aims to purchase sustainable produce for sale on departmental premises and for receptions and meetings wherever these meet our business requirements and give at least as good value for money. The Department is working with its facilities management contractor who provide where premises allow, in house catering services, on the feasibility of introducing a target to increase the supply of Fair Trade goods.

Departmental Data Protection

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1349W, on departmental data protection, in what circumstances transfers of data take place under statutory gateways; which information transfers fall  (a) within and  (b) outside the statutory gateway; and if he will place in the Library copies of the memorandums of understanding, partnership agreements and codes of practice which set out the relationship between it and HM Revenue and Customs.

Stephen Timms: Transfers of personal data in bulk between the Department for Work and Pensions and other departments or organisations takes place only under and in compliance with the relevant statutory gateways, for example those contained in sections 121E to 123 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.
	In addition the Department on occasions discloses personal data on a case-by-case basis relying on common law powers, for example to the police for the prevention and detection of crime.
	All bulk transfers and individual disclosures of personal data are made in accordance with the Data Protection Act and within the terms of the Department's formal registration under the Act.
	The following copies of agreements between the Department and HM Revenue and Customs have been placed in the Library:
	1. Working Level Agreement between the relevant Government Departments involved in the administration and distribution of Healthy Start vouchers to eligible recipients in the United Kingdom.
	2. Service Level Agreement for the Job Outcome Targets (JOT) project.
	3. Partnership Agreement for the referral and investigation of suspected benefit and tax credit fraud cases.

Departmental Leaflets

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of each public information leaflet issued by his Department.

Anne McGuire: We are arranging for copies of the current versions of all the Department's public information leaflets to be placed in the Library.

Departmental Leaflets

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on,  (a) pensions-related,  (b) retirement benefit and  (c) other benefit-related leaflets in each of the last 10 years.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions began a complete review of all its public facing leaflets during 2006. This initiative has reduced the number of leaflets published by the Department from 178 in June 2006 to just 66 today.
	The Department also procured, from July 2007, a single supplier for its print and associated services which, amongst other things, will enable us to capture the costs of producing material for the public in the future.
	The review of all the Department's leaflets, coupled with the change of supplier means that identifying and obtaining the costs of all the material published prior to July 2007 could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since July 2007.

Stephen Timms: S43 of the Welfare Reform Act 2007 not yet in force, will make it an offence for a local authority employee to make an unauthorised disclosure of benefit information obtained under S42 of the same Act.
	No other new offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions since July 2007.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by his Department and its predecessors since May 1997.

Stephen Timms: No offences have been repealed/abolished by primary legislation sponsored by the DWP since May 1997.

Departmental Manpower

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people each of his Department's executive agencies employed in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: Information on the number of staff employed by the Department for Work and Pensions' Executive agencies as at the end of March each year is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Headcount 
			   Agency 
			  March each year  Jobcentre Plus  Pensions Service  Disability and Carers  Child Support  The Rent Service 
			 2003 86,720 19,463 8,005 12,616  
			 2004 87,773 21,111 7,977 12,292  
			 2005 81,353 17,589 7,273 10,994 742 
			 2006 79,366 15,109 7,158 12,411 696 
			 2007 75,906 13,888 6,731 12,614 662 
			  Note: The Rent Service joined DWP in 2004-05.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) civil servants,  (b) special advisers and  (c) Ministers in his Department staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in the last 12 months.

Anne McGuire: During 2007-08, the Department employed an average of 116,000 staff. The total cost of their overnight accommodation when on official business was as follows for the 12 months from March 2007 to February 2008.
	
		
			
			 Great Britain 11,286,364 
			 Northern Ireland 61,001 
			 Republic of Ireland 503 
			 Other Countries 73,067 
		
	
	Information on overnight accommodation in Great Britain is not recorded separately for Ministers or special advisers and is included in the aforementioned table. This does not include accommodation costs for overseas visits by Ministers and special advisers, as this information is invoiced and paid for separately and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Publications

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance is issued to members of his Department on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Civil Service Code, the Civil Service Management Code and Propriety Guidance on Government Communications, all provide guidance to staff on the publication of material relating to their official duties. Copies of each of these are in the Libraries of the House. They are also available on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many working days were lost by his Department due to stress-related illness in each of the last 24 months.

Anne McGuire: DWP, in common with other Government Departments, records sickness absences against a list of standard definitions. Stress related absences are recorded under the single category of depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.
	The following table shows the number of working days lost due to depression, anxiety and other mental health issues in each month since April 2007, as recorded on the Department's personnel computer system.
	Information prior to April 2007 is held on a number of old systems. The cost of extracting this information, in the format requested, from these systems, for the period prior to April 2007, would be disproportionate.
	The Department is committed to reducing sickness absences caused by depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. Our approach is to support employees, for example by providing access to professional stress counselling, and to use qualified occupational health advice to help them return to work when they do take sickness absence.
	
		
			   Working days lost (FTE)  Total working days available (FTE)  Working days lost as percentage of total working days available 
			 February 2008 16,824 1,949,176 0.86 
			 January 2008 18,201 2,043,942 0.89 
			 December 2007 16,565 1,684,523 0.98 
			 November 2007 21,698 2,063,980 1.05 
			 October 2007 22,618 2,160,959 1.05 
			 September 2007 19,281 1,892,521 1.02 
			 August 2007 22,341 2,089,811 1.07 
			 July 2007 21,976 2,096,551 1.05 
			 June 2007 20,539 2,010,288 1.02 
			 May 2007 22,492 1,932,301 1.16 
			 April 2007 21,237 1,751,189 1.21

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many days sick leave were taken on average by staff in his Department in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: The average number of working days lost due to sick leave by DWP staff in each of the last five years, as published in the annual Cabinet Office report is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2006-07 11.1 
			 2005 10.1 
			 2004 9.6 
			 2003 11.6 
			 2002 10.8

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his Department's staff took more than  (a) five,  (b) 10,  (c) 15,  (d) 20,  (e) 25,  (f) 30,  (g) 35 and  (h) 40 days leave due to stress in each of the last five years, broken down by pay grade.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available or held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Training

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department and its agencies have attended the  (a) Influencing with Integrity,  (b) Emotional Intelligence,  (c) Counselling Skills for the Workplace,  (d) Managing your Confidence,  (e) Balancing Work/Life Realities and  (f) Working Assertively training course run by the National School of Government in the last 12 months for which information is available; and at what cost.

Anne McGuire: The following table gives a break down of the number of people in The Department for Work and Pensions (and its agencies), who have attended the events specified during the past 12 months 1 April 2007  31 March 2008.
	
		
			   Number   
			 Working Assertively 5 3,630 
			 Balancing Work/Life Realities Nil  
			 Managing your Confidence 2 2,298 
			 Counselling Skills for the Workplace Nil  
			 Influencing with Integrity 10 7,260 
			 Emotional Intelligence 1 1,495 
			  Source: National School of Government

Departmental Translation Services

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent by his Department and its associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies on translation services from English into  (a) Welsh and  (b) other languages in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05,  (c) 2005-06,  (d) 2006-07 and  (e) 2007-08.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 31 March 2008
	I have provided the availability and the range of options for translation services in DWP and the following table shows spend for the areas where details are available.
	Please note, for the earlier years (2003-04, 2004-05) spend data are not fully available so I have provided all the relevant information available.
	DWP provides a wide range of translation services including the translation of leaflets into a range of ethnic languages and all publications for DWP's customers must be available in Welsh. DWP also translates individual and ad hoc items such as letters and guidance for forms including back translating of all claim forms.
	
		
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08( 1) 
			 Translating English to Welsh 24,973 30,885 20,766 50,759 31,535 
			 Translating English to other languages n/a n/a 120,720 170,055 9,163 
			 (1 )Recorded to date

Discrimination

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claims for discrimination, based on  (a) sex,  (b) race and  (c) sexual orientation, were brought by members of his Department and settled (i) in and (ii) out of court in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: From January 2003 to date, excluding a large block of cases challenging the Department's then dress code which were brought in 2003, the Department has been the respondent in 56 cases alleging race discrimination, 79 cases alleging sex discrimination and seven cases alleging discrimination relating to sexual orientation.
	31 of these cases were settled; 14 of which related to sex discrimination, 13 related to race discrimination and four related to discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.
	The available statistics do not show at which point in a case the settlement took place.

Employment: Disabled People

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many full-time equivalent disability employment advisers were in post in England in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 21 April 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many full-time equivalent Disability Employment Advisers were in post in England in each of the last five years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	There are currently 500.81 full time equivalent Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentre Plus of which 415.05 are in England. During 2005 and 2006 there was an average of 570 full time equivalent Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentre Plus. We are not able to identify how many of these were based in England.
	We are unable to provide numbers of Disability Employment Advisers in England for the years 2000 - 2004.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Employment: Females

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to meet the Lisbon Treaty strategy objective of increasing female employment; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The UK has already exceeded the Lisbon target for getting the female employment rate above 60 per cent. by 2010. The female working age employment rate is 70.2 per cent., up from 67.3 per cent. in February-April 1997.
	We do not have a further target specifically for the female employment rate but there is a target to raise the employment rate overall. Clearly our efforts to achieve that should help raise employment across the board and some of our initiatives, for example on lone parents, while increasing employment among both men and women, are likely to have a particular impact on the female employment rate.

Employment: Tribunals

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employment tribunals with  (a) three members,  (b) two members and  (c) one member adjudicating sat in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
	The precise information on the number of panel members is not held centrally. To gather the required information would require the development of a new report, to do so would be of disproportionate cost.
	However, hearings are normally conducted by panels comprising three membersone is a member of the judiciary and the other two are lay members. Available data of the number of session days for panel members are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Year (April to March)  Total session days for the judiciary  Total session days for lay members 
			 2004-05 29,300  
			 2005-06 29,800  
			 2006-07 29,800  
			 2007-08(1) 25,900 34,100 
			 (1) April 2007 to January 2008. 
		
	
	To obtain figures for lay members not centrally held until 2007 would be at a disproportionate cost.
	Figures for the number of days of single judge hearings have been collected since February 2007. The latest available figure is 8,100 sit alone days compared with 25,900 session days for the period April 2007 to March 2008 (or 31 per cent. of the total).

Government Offices for the Regions

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of his Department's programme budgets were administered by the Government Offices for the Regions in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 18 March 2008
	Government offices have directly administered the European Social Fund programmes on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions for each of the last five years.

Housing Benefits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average housing benefit payment was in each year since 1990.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  A verage weekly amount of housing benefit in Great Britain from 1990 to 2007 
			
			 1990 21.30 
			 1991 25.40 
			 1992 30.00 
			 1993 33.70 
			 1994 36.60 
			 1995 39.60 
			 1996 41.60 
			 1997 42.40 
			 1998 43.60 
			 1999 44.90 
			 2000 46.80 
			 2001 49.00 
			 2002 52.40 
			 2003 58.40 
			 2004 57.30 
			 2005 61.10 
			 2006 64.60 
			 2007 68.20 
			  Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. For this request the amounts have been rounded to the nearest 10 pence. 3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated. 4. Housing benefit excludes any extended payment cases. 5. Figures taken from May each year up to 1996 and February each year from 1997. 6. Figures are in nominal terms.  Sources: Social Security Statistics Publication May 1990 to May 1996; and Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in February 1997 to February 2007.

Incapacity Benefit

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of  (a) working age adults were in receipt of incapacity benefit and  (b) households in each Metropolitan council area were workless in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: At May 2007 7.2 per cent. of working age adults were claimants of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance.
	Information about working age workless households is in the following table:
	
		
			  Working age workless households( 1) , April to June 2007, not seasonally adjusted) 
			   Proportion (percentage) by Metropolitan council area 
			 GB 16.1 
			 Barnsley 25.0 
			 Birmingham 21.4 
			 Bolton 18.0 
			 Bradford 17.7 
			 Bury 14.4 
			 Calderdale 19.2 
			 Coventry 16.0 
			 Doncaster 21.3 
			 Dudley 18.5 
			 Gateshead 19.9 
			 Kirklees 17.3 
			 Knowsley 27.0 
			 Leeds 17.3 
			 Liverpool 25.2 
			 Manchester 24.7 
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne 20.9 
			 North Tyneside 19.2 
			 Oldham 25.1 
			 Rochdale 26.0 
			 Rotherham 19.6 
			 Salford 23.7 
			 Sandwell 22.9 
			 Sefton 22.0 
			 Sheffield 18.6 
			 Solihull 14.0 
			 South Tyneside 23.3 
			 St. Helens 26.5 
			 Stockport 14.4 
			 Sunderland 23.5 
			 Tameside 17.2 
			 Trafford 7.4 
			 Wakefield 15.6 
			 Walsall 18.4 
			 Wigan 22.8 
			 Wirral 18.3 
			 Wolverhampton 26.7 
			 (1) A workless household is a household with at least one person of working age (men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59), and in which no one aged 16 or over is in employment.   Notes:  1. Base for percentages excludes households with unknown economic activity status.  2. As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to a margin or uncertainty.  Source: Labour Force Survey.

Income Support: Mortgages

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average length of claim for income support mortgage interest was (i) inside and (ii) outside London in each year since 1995.

James Plaskitt: Information is not available in the format requested. Information is not available prior to 1997. The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Claimants of income support mortgage interest by duration of claim in Great Britain (GB) and the London Government office region as at May each year 
			   All GB  Rest of GB  London 
			  1997
			 All 302,500 261,000 41,500 
			 Up to 3 months 7,500 6,800 700 
			 3 months up to 6 months 12,900 11,300 1,500 
			 6 months up to 1 year 24,400 21,200 3,100 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 43,800 38,100 5,700 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 105,700 90,300 15,500 
			 5 years and over 108,200 93,300 15,000 
			 
			  1998
			 All 282,200 243,600 38,600 
			 Up to 3 months 6,400 5,700 600 
			 3 months up to 6 months 12,100 10,500 1,500 
			 6 months up to 1 year 25,500 22,400 3,100 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 36,800 32,100 4,700 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 87,800 75,200 12,600 
			 5 years and over 113,600 97,600 16,000 
			 
			  1999
			 All 264,500 228,800 35,800 
			 Up to 3 months 6,400 5,800 600 
			 3 months up to 6 months 10,700 9,600 1,100 
			 6 months up to 1 year 22,000 19,600 2,500 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 36,600 31,800 4,900 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 75,400 64,800 10,600 
			 5 years and over 113,400 97,200 16,200 
			 
			  2000
			 All 249,800 216,300 33,500 
			 Up to 3 months 6,200 5,600 600 
			 3 months up to 6 months 8,900 7,900 1,000 
			 6 months up to 1 year 18,600 16,400 2,200 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 34,500 30,300 4,200 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 68,500 59,300 9,200 
			 5 years and over 113,200 96,800 16,400 
			 
			  2001
			 All 241,700 210,200 31,500 
			 Up to 3 months 5,700 5,100 600 
			 3 months up to 6 months 9,300 8,500 800 
			 6 months up to 1 year 21,700 19,700 2,000 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 31,100 27,300 3,800 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 65,000 56,600 8,500 
			 5 years and over 108,900 93,100 15,800 
			 
			  2002
			 All 227,500 198,300 29,200 
			 Up to 3 months 4,000 3,700 400 
			 3 months up to 6 months 6,900 6,400 500 
			 6 months up to 1 year 15,200 13,800 1,400 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 34,000 30,500 3,500 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 62,400 54,200 8,200 
			 5 years and over 104,900 89,700 15,200 
			 
			  2003
			 All 216,200 188,500 27,700 
			 Up to 3 months 2,900 2,600 200 
			 3 months up to 6 months 6,800 6,000 700 
			 6 months up to 1 year 14,700 13,200 1,500 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 26,500 23,600 2,800 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 62,200 54,500 7,700 
			 5 years and over 103,200 88,500 14,700 
			 
			  2004
			 All 112,900 98,400 14,500 
			 Up to 3 months 1,600 1,500 200 
			 3 months up to 6 months 3,000 2,700 300 
			 6 months up to 1 year 7,100 6,400 800 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 15,700 13,900 1,800 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 33,700 29,600 4,200 
			 5 years and over 51,700 44,300 7,400 
			 
			  2005
			 All 104,400 91 ,800 12,700 
			 Up to 3 months 1,400 1,400 100 
			 3 months up to 6 months 2,900 2,700 200 
			 6 months up to 1 year 7,000 6,300 700 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 13,500 11,900 1,600 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 30,600 27,100 3,500 
			 5 years and over 49,000 42,400 6,600 
			 
			  2006
			 All 96,800 85,000 11,900 
			 Up to 3 months 1,000 1,000 100 
			 3 months up to 6 months 2,600 2,300 300 
			 6 months up to 1 year 6,800 6,100 700 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 13,100 11,400 1,700 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 26,400 23,300 3,100 
			 5 years and over 46,900 40,900 6,000 
			 
			  2007
			 All 91,100 79,600 11,400 
			 Up to 3 months 900 900 100 
			 3 months up to 6 months 2,600 2,300 200 
			 6 months up to 1 year 5,900 5,200 700 
			 1 year and up to 2 years 12,300 10,700 1,500 
			 2 years and up to 5 years 24,900 21,700 3,200 
			 5 years and over 44,500 38,800 5,700 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Figures have been taken from 5 per cent. samples and uprated in line with 100 per cent. WPLS totals. 3. Figures are based on 5 per cent. samples and are therefore subject to sampling variation. 4. Figures are affected by the introduction of tax credits in April 2003 and claimants aged 60 or over who transferred to pension credit in October 2003. 5. Jobseeker's allowance was introduced in October 1996 and replaced unemployment benefit (UB) and income support (IS) as the benefit for unemployed people seeking work. Therefore a consistent IS time series is shown from May 1997.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. samples

Income Support: Mortgages

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what rate of interest is used to calculate income support mortgage interest payments; and how this rate is determined.

James Plaskitt: The standard rate of interest used to calculate support for mortgage interest payments in income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance and state pension credit is currently 6.83 per cent. which is determined by adding 1.58 per cent. to the current Bank of England base rate of 5.25 per cent.
	From December 2004, the standard rate has been calculated using the Bank of England Base Rate plus an additional 1.58 per cent. Using the Bank of England base rate provides a more representative rate than the previous method, which was based upon an average of building society interest rates. The 1.58 per cent. was added to ensure that no-one lost out when the method of calculation changed.

Income Support: Mortgages

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of paying income support mortgage interest was in each year since 1995.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Income Support: Mortgages

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of increasing the upper limit of capital supported by income support mortgage interest to  (a) 110,000,  (b) 120,000,  (c) 130,000,  (d) 140,000,  (e) 150,000,  (f) 160,000,  (g) 170,000,  (h) 180,000,  (i) 190,000,  (j) 200,000,  (k) 210,000,  (l) 220,000,  (m) 230,000,  (n) 240,000 and  (o) 250,000.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Jobcentre Plus

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus offices are accessible by appointment only.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 21 April 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many Jobcentre Plus offices are accessible by appointment only. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as chief executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	All our Jobcentres are accessible to our customers without an appointment.
	To avoid sometimes unnecessary waiting, appointments are booked for customers who have an inquiry or wish to see an Adviser. In many instances however, an Adviser or other member of staff will be free to see a customer immediately.
	Customers are able to use our Jobpoints or public phones without an appointment.

Jobcentre Plus: Security Guards

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus offices employ security staff to guard the doors of the offices; and what guidance is offered to Jobcentre Plus offices regarding the employment of security staff.

Stephen Timms: Land Securities Trillium (LST) provides security personnel to Jobcentre Plus offices as part of their responsibilities under the terms of the Department's PRIME PFI contract.
	Security personnel (Security Guards and Customer Care Officers (CCO)) are employed at 688 Jobcentre Plus offices. The security service requirement is detailed in the PRIME contract, and the role and job description of the CCOs has been agreed with Jobcentre Plus and is available to staff at each Jobcentre Plus office.

Jobcentre Plus: Telephones

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many customer access telephones are available in Jobcentre Plus offices in the UK; and how many offices do not have this facility;
	(2)  how many calls were made using customer access telephones in Jobcentre Plus offices in each of the last 24 months for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 21 April 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking how many customer access phones are available in Jobcentre Plus offices in the UK and how many offices do not have this facility; and how many calls were made using customer access phones in Jobcentre Plus offices in each of the last 24 months for which figures are available. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	We have 3,841 customer access 'warm phones' available in Jobcentre Plus. All Jobcentres have this warm phone facility.
	Information on the number of calls made from warm phones is not available.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have claimed jobseeker's allowance for more than 24 months in the last  (a) 36 months,  (b) 48 months and  (c) 60 months.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available except at disproportionate cost.
	90 per cent. of jobseeker's allowance claimants return to work within 12 months. However, 37,375 jobseeker's allowance claimants in Great Britain had a claim of two years or more duration as at November 2007.
	 Notes:
	1. Figure is rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Figure is based on computer held cases only.
	 Source:
	NOMIS.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Banks

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases jobseeker's allowance payments to single adults of 59.15 per week are being paid directly to banks to cover the bank charges of the individuals concerned; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The Department does not hold the information requested. December 2007 figures show that (1)77 per cent. of Jobseeker's allowance payments are paid direct into a bank or building society. Once a benefit payment is credited into an account it merges with the existing account balance, whether this is overdrawn or in credit.
	(1) This figure shows the total number of customers who receive a payment through the Jobseeker's Allowance payment scheme.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the value was of each contract awarded by his Department to Karian and Box since 1997.

Anne McGuire: Current DWP records extend back to the 2003-04 financial year.
	Having checked the records available, there is no evidence of any payments made to a supplier named Karian and Box or possible variations to that name.
	Information is not available for the period prior to 2003 and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Lone Parents

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 3 April 2008,  Official Report, column 84WS on lone parents, if he will place in the Library a copy of the early advice from the Social Security Advisory Committee.

Stephen Timms: The early advice from the Social Security Advisory Committee referred to in the written statement of 3 April 2008 was given verbally on 5 March in the course of one of the Committee's regular business meetings. The minutes of that meeting will be placed in the Library when they have been cleared by the Committee and will be published on the Social Security Advisory Committee website.

Nanotechnology: Safety

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the safety of nano-enabled products by UK regulatory bodies.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government's aim is for the UK to derive maximum benefit from nanotechnologies and their products in a way that safeguards health, safety and the environment and addresses the aspirations and concerns of the public. The statement by the UK Government about nanotechnologies, announced in the written ministerial statement of 28 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 86-87W, explains what the Government are doing to deliver these objectives.

New Deal Schemes: Contracts

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 14 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 30-31WS, on the flexible new deal, 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library copies of the advertisements for organisations interested in bidding for phase one contracts;
	(2)  at what point final payment will be made to providers of phase one contracts; and what the payment process will be;
	(3)  whether the fees paid to providers will vary according to the type and length of activity.

Stephen Timms: The commercial strategy for the flexible new deal reflects the principles set out in the Department for Work and Pensions Commissioning Strategy published in February 2008. We will be seeking bids which reflect proposals for both five and seven year contracts and will decide which of these terms to offer following the tender evaluation process, which will assess the option that provides the best overall value.
	The funding model has a number of elements. Fifty per cent. of the contract price will be attributable to the achievement of intermediate employment outcomes and thirty per cent. to sustained employment outcomes of twenty-six weeks. Both of these will be paid on a unit price basis. There will also be a service fee, which will equate to twenty per cent. of the overall contract price, which will be paid in monthly instalments.
	Copies of the original advertisements for organisations interested in bidding for Phase One contracts have been placed in the Library.
	A written statement was laid before Parliament on 1 April. This announced that there are now to be two Wales-only flexible new deal contract areas: North Wales, Mid Wales and South East Wales; and South West Wales and South Wales Valleys.
	Copies of the replacement advertisements, following this announcement, for organisations interested in bidding for Phase One contracts have also been placed in the Library.

Pension Service

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what pension forecast service the Pension Service offers; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Pension Service provides:
	 Individual Pension Forecasts (IPF)
	These on request forecasts provide estimates of an individual's state pension entitlement.
	 Real Time Pension Forecasts (RTPF)
	This is a web-based on-request forecasting service.
	 Combined Pension Forecasts (CPF)
	CPF contain an estimate of state pension entitlement alongside information provided about occupational or personal pension schemes. These forecasts are available where an employer or pension provider agrees to provide them.
	Due to a need to update IT systems to reflect state pension rule changes contained within the Pension Act 2007, The Pension Service is temporarily unable to provide pension forecasts to people who reach state pension age after 5 April 2010. However, they are providing personalised information to this group, including details on the number of qualifying years people have, to help with considerations such as the payment of voluntary national insurance contributions, and how the changes to the state pension rules may affect their state pension position. These services help people to continue to plan for their retirement.
	The CPF service is also temporarily suspended.
	The Pension Service anticipate that the web-based service will be available to all customers from the end of June 2008 and the rest of the forecasting services will be available in autumn 2008.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of women in receipt of basic state pension whose husbands are in receipt of basic state pension and who are receiving an amount of basic state pension at a rate of less than 60 per cent. of the amount that their husband is receiving.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 31 March 2008
	 The information requested is not available.

Pensions: Widowed People

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that the Pension Service advises all those pensioners who are newly widowed of the range of entitlement to which they may be eligible.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 31 March 2008
	When the Department is notified that a pensioner is bereaved a review of their state pension is completed automatically. The highest rate of state pension benefit is calculated and paid dependant upon the individual or deceased spouse's contribution record. All bereavement benefits are also considered at that time. The Department will check whether pension credit is in payment, and if it is not, the customer is invited to make an application. Customers are also invited to claim housing benefit and council tax benefit at the same time as applying for pension credit.

Post Office Card Account

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many outlets are specified in the tendering documents for use by customers of the replacement Post Office Card account; what criteria have been specified for the distribution of these outlets; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 19 March 2008
	The notice that appeared in the Official Journal of the European Union for the replacement to the Post Office card account specified that customer access to cash is requested at ATMs and personal teller outlets located throughout the UK. The contractors are asked to detail their intended number and the location of outlets, but the size of the network is expected to be in the region of 10,000 outlets.

Press Offices

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the press offices of  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies was in each year from 1996-97; what the cost was in each quarter since 1 April 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: Our costs are not readily available in the format requested, and obtaining these could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

Press Offices

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many press office staff were employed by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) in each year since 1996-97 and (ii) at the latest date for which information is available.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed on 8 June 2001 from parts of the former Department of Social Security, the former Department for Education and Employment and the Employment Service. All media inquiries relating to the Department including its agencies are dealt with through the national and regional press office.
	
		
			   National press officers  Regional press officers  Non-departmental public bodies 
			 2001-02 21 0 10 
			 2002-03 13 16 11 
			 2003-04 20 20 10 
			 2004-05 19 23 10 
			 2005-06 23 22 12 
			 2006-07 19 (1)25 16 
			 (1) Two part-time in a job share role

PROGRESS Programme

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funding has been made available by the PROGRESS programme for UK projects.

James Plaskitt: The information, which has been provided this week by the European Commission, is in the following table:
	
		
			  Description of call  Activity  Contractor  Amount of contract () 
			 Employment Broader social/societal costs and benefits of flexicurity Mr. A. Fuller Alphametrics (UK) Ltd. Heath House, Princes Mews, Royston SG8 9RTHertfordshire 59,403 
			 
			 Employment Small-scale studies/research in support of EMCO thematic discussions and support bilateral cooperation activities in the area of employment and social affairs (US, Japan, China, India, ASEM, Latin America, etc.) Various topics of common interest to MS and topics for future joint bilateral Mr. S. Gibbons Ergon Associates Ltd. 24 Greville Street, London, EC1N 8SS 181.031 
			 
			 Employment Feasibility study on mobility. To improve data on cross border commuting short term international assignments; return after geographical mobility (new project) Ms K. Hughes University of Warwick Kirby Corner Road, University House Coventry, CV4 8UW 130,601 
			 
			 Employment European Employment Observatory Mr. N. Bozeat GHK Consulting (UK) (Renewal) 526 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5NR 987,386 
			 
			 Local employment development  Mrs. P. Hearn, Dacorum Council for Voluntary Service, 48 High Street, Hemel Hempstead HP13AF 134,292.36 
			 
			 Projects contributing to Social Inclusion Studies and analysis of Private Health Insurance London School of Economics, Houghton street, Aldwych, London WC2A 2AE 198,820 
			 
			 Support to EU social network  John Halloran Victoria House, 125 Queens RoadBrighton, BN13WB 594,869 
			 
			 Trans national mutual learning on Social Inclusion and Social Protection  University of Dundee Dundee DD1 4HN (UK) 522,369.27 
			   Greater London Enterprise New City Court London SE1 9RS 575,591.42 
			   Oxfam Oxfam House, John Smith Drive Oxford OX4 2JY 622,267.25 
			 
			 Working conditions Good Practice Guide for Directive 2006/25/EC. To facilitate the understanding of the provisions of the optical radiation directive HPAUK Chilton, Didcot, OX11 ORQ Oxfordshire 189,865 
			 
			 Working Conditions Revision European Works Council EPEC526 Fulham Road London SW6 5NR 199,715 
			 
			 Restructuring, Well-being at work and financial participation  Mrs. Janet Asherson Confederation of British Industry 103 New Oxford St London WC1A 1DU 218,379.05 
			 
			 Non-Discrimination Study on the situation of Women with disabilities in Europe in the light of the UN convention on the rights of PWD ECOTEC Research and Consulting Priestley House, 12-26 Albert Street Birmingham, B4 7UD 325,000 
			 
			 Non-Discrimination Mid term Evaluation of the European disability programme Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services 17 Coombe Road, Otford TN14 7RJ Kent 196,200 
			 
			 National Awareness Raising in the field of anti-discrimination  Mrs. Moira Dustin Equality and Diversity Forum 207-221 Pentonville Road London N1 9UZ 142,131.95 
			   Mrs. Ali Harris Citizens Advice Myddelton House, London N1 9LZ 257,097.33 
			 
			 Gender Equality Exchange of good practices Focus Consultancy Ltd. Elmsgate House Steeple Ashton, Trowbridge BA14 6HP Wiltshire 249,990 
			 
			 Gender Equality Study on directive 86/613, on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women engaged in an activity in a self employed capacity and assisting spouses European Policy Evaluation Consortium EEIG 526 Fulham Road UK London SW6 5NR (UK) 262,745

Remploy

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which factories have closed under the Remploy modernisation programme.

Anne McGuire: The following factories have closed under the Remploy modernisation programme.
	Aintree
	Barnsley
	Birkenhead CCU
	Bradford
	Brixton
	Brynamman
	Chandlers Ford (Southampton)
	Halifax
	Hartlepool
	Hillington
	Hull
	Jarrow
	Leatherhead
	Lydney
	Mansfield
	Medway
	Newcastle Under Lyme
	Pinxton
	Redruth
	Southampton
	Southend
	St. Helens
	Stockport
	Stockton
	Treforest
	Woolwich
	Wisbech
	York
	Ystradgynlais.
	Wisbech wasn't on the original list for closure. However, it closed as a result of all employees applying for voluntary redundancy as part of the modernisation programme.

Social Security Benefits

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reflect recent changes in the cost of essential goods and services in benefit entitlement.

Mike O'Brien: The Chancellor announced in his Budget 2008 speech that for winter 2008-09 an additional payment will be made alongside the winter fuel payment. Households with someone aged 60 to 79 will receive an additional 50 and households with someone aged 80 or over will receive an additional 100.
	The levels of benefits are increased once a year, in April. The increases are calculated, for most contributory and non-contributory benefits, using the increase in the retail prices index for the 12 months ending in the preceding September. This ensures that benefits keep their real value in broad terms.
	Income-related benefits (jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support) are usually increased in line with September's 12-month rate for the Rossi index. The Rossi index is the retail prices index excluding rent, mortgage interest payments, council tax and depreciation costs. This index is used because help for housing costs is given to people getting income related benefits either as additional amounts in those benefits or in council tax benefit and housing benefit. Consequently any increases in council tax would usually be met by council tax benefit.
	The standard minimum guarantee in pension credit has been increased by 4.2 per cent. in line with the Budget 2007 announcement, more than keeping pace with earnings and prices.
	The inflation figures are based on a year-on-year comparison of prices. Therefore any recent fluctuations in inflation will be taken into account in the benefit increases that will take effect from April 2009.

Social Security Benefits: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 3 April 2008,  Official Report, columns 83-84WS, on disability benefits (European Court of Justice), on what date and at what time the information was posted on  (a) his Departmental website and  (b) direct.gov website.

Anne McGuire: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The DWP website published a news item, aimed at disability advisers, on its Disability and Carers subsite (www.dwp.gov.uk/dcs) on 3 April at 1.10 pm. This item linked to the information on the Direct.gov website which is aimed at the general public.
	 (b) The article was published live on the Direct.gov site on 3 April at 10.00 am.

Social Security Benefits: Lost Property

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many birth certificates his Department received for proof of identity for benefit claimants, including winter fuel payment claimants, in each of the last five years; and how many were subsequently reported  (a) by his Department and  (b) by the claimant as lost or stolen.

James Plaskitt: The information is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Overpayments

David Heyes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  in how many cases overpayments of benefit have been reclaimed following the death of a claimant where such repayments were not mandatory under social security legislation in each of the last five years, broken down by benefit type;
	(2)  in how many cases his Department has not pursued requests for repayment for overpayments following the death of a claimant in circumstances where the repayment was challenged by family members and where the repayment was not mandatory under social security legislation in each of the last five years;
	(3)  in how many cases where his Department requested repayments of overpayments following the death of a claimant, and where such repayments were not mandatory under social security legislation, such requests were not challenged by family members in each of the last five years;
	(4)  what the value was of repayments of overpayments requested by his Department following the death of a claimant, in circumstances where such repayments were not mandatory under social security legislation and where the family members of the deceased claimants challenged the requests and did not subsequently make the repayments;
	(5)  what the value was of repayments of overpayments of benefits following the death of a claimant, where such repayments were not mandatory under social security legislation in each of the last five years, broken down by benefit type.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 31 March 2008
	Unfortunately, through no fault of any individual, overpayments of benefit can arise following the death of a benefit recipient. Such overpayments normally arise as a result of the Department being notified of the death too late to stop an automated payment being made into the deceased's account.
	We are doing all we can to improve the current process. We are in the process of preparing to receive electronic notifications of death from the Office of National Statistics on a daily basis. This will assist in enabling a prompt cessation of payments following death and reduce the number of these overpayments occurring.
	The Department has a duty to seek recovery of all overpaid funds where it is reasonable and cost effective to do so. However, we seek to do this as sensitively as possible, taking account of the fact that this will be a stressful time, particularly if the person contacted is a close friend or family member. Overpayments are written off if the deceased has no estate or there are insufficient funds in the estate.
	The following table details how many of these overpayments have been recovered, and their value. We have only been collecting this information since 2005.
	The other information requested is not available.
	
		
			  DPAD recoveries on debt manager, OpRec and ORCSvalue of recoveries 
			   
			   2005-06( 1)  2006-07  2007-08( 2)  Total 
			 Attendance Allowance 2,978,730 4,707,183 7,267,515 14,953,428 
			 Carers Allowances 13,468 3,828 19,898 37,194 
			 Constant Attendance Allowance 0 153 1,344 1,497 
			 Disability Living Allowance - Care / Mob 1,734,359 1,557,216 2,254,046 5,545,621 
			 Incapacity Benefits 122,389 302,169 431,798 856,357 
			 Income Support 49,887 47,923 87,662 185,471 
			 Invalid Care Allowances 84,926.36 609 0 85,536 
			 Industrial Injuries Benefits 129,433 83,822 24,761 238,016 
			 Industrial Death Benefits 52,661 28,033 35,107 115,800 
			 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits 819 148,451 312,632 461,903 
			 Invalidity Benefit 6,357 1,626 3,675 11,658 
			 Jobseeker's Allowance 406 235 146 787 
			 Mobility Allowance 5,269 2,447 506 8,222 
			 Pension Credit 1,519,458 3,677,487 4,555,584 9,752,530 
			 Retirement/State Pensions 13,793,186 27,372,631 30,201,062 71,366,878 
			 Severe Disablement Allowance 19,419 36,254 46,959 102,632 
			 Widows Benefits Widows Pension 11,467.42 12,020 8,020 31,507 
			 Widows Pension 0 3,671 11,122 14,793 
			 Other 7,089 17,647 49,474 74,211 
			 Total 20,529,323 38,003,406 45,311,310 103,844,039 
			 (1) Data for 2005-06 are for the period June 2005 to March 2006 only. (2) Date for 2007-08 are up to 29 March 2008. 
		
	
	
		
			  DPAD recoveries on debt manager, OpRec and ORCSvolumes of router accounts by benefit 
			   
			   2005-06( 1)  2006-07  2007-08( 2)  Total 
			 Attendance Allowance 30,665 47,757 75,676 154,098 
			 Carers Allowances 252 39 212 503 
			 Constant Attendance Allowance 0 2 19 21 
			 Disability Living Allowances 13,015 10,987 16,232 40,234 
			 Incapacity Benefits 975 2,226 3,145 6,346 
			 Income Support 337 289 523 1,149 
			 Invalid Care Allowance 3,123 5 0 3,128 
			 Industrial Injuries Benefits 1,180 670 121 1,971 
			 Industrial Death Benefits 372 194 279 845 
			 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits 6 1,388 2,818 4,212 
			 Invalidity Benefit 51 21 29 101 
			 Jobseeker's Allowance 4 3 2 9 
			 Mobility Allowances 176 49 36 261 
			 Pension Credit 16,884 40,799 54,292 111,975 
			 Retirement/State Pensions 81,948 164,060 180,956 426,964 
			 Severe Disablement Allowance 124 300 395 819 
			 Widows Benefits 57 47 27 131 
			 Widows Pension 0 23 53 76 
			 Other 109 562 2,794 3,465 
			 Total 149,278 269,421 337,609 756,308 
			 (1) Data for 2005-06 are for the period June 2005 to March 2006 only. (2 )Date for 2007-08 are up to 29 March 2008.

Social Security Benefits: Telephone Services

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average length of calls made to  (a) the Pension Service,  (b) the Disability and Carers Service,  (c) the Benefit Enquiry Line and  (d) the Child Support Agency was in each year for which records are held.

Anne McGuire: The information available is provided in the following tables. All figures are in minutes/seconds unless otherwise stated.
	
		
			  Child Support Agency( 1) 
			  Month  Average speed to answer  Average length of call 
			 April 2005 01:24 03:08 
			 May 2005 01:05 03:03 
			 June 2005 01:00 03:04 
			 July 2005 00:54 03:04 
			 August 2005 01:10 03:09 
			 September 2005 01:20 03:10 
			 October 2005 01:10 03:23 
			 November 2005 00:52 03:17 
			 December 2005 00:34 03:10 
			 January 2006 00:46 03:14 
			 February 2006 00:54 03:17 
			 March 2006 00:39 03:09 
			 April 2006 00:25 03:30 
			 May 2006 00:26 03:25 
			 June 2006 00:21 03:35 
			 July 2006 00:25 03:38 
			 August 2006 00:27 03:39 
			 September 2006 00:45 03:42 
			 October 2006 00:38 03:40 
			 November 2006 00:18 03:41 
			 December 2006 00:18 03:26 
			 January 2007 00:23 03:28 
			 February 2007 00:15 03:41 
			 March 2007 00:20 03:19 
			 April 2007 00:20 03:22 
			 May 2007 00:19 03:19 
			 June 2007 00:23 03:22 
			 July 2007 00:24 03:24 
			 August 2007 00:20 03:26 
			 September 2007 00:18 03:22 
			 October 2007 00:18 03:27 
			 November 2007 00:19 03:33 
			 December 2007 00:19 03:24 
			 January 2008 00:19 03:27 
			 February 2008 00:19 03:32 
			 March 2008 00:19 03:21 
			 (1)There are no comprehensive data prior to April 202005. Information is the total of CSCS and CS2 calls. 
		
	
	
		
			  The Pension Service 
			  Month  Average speed to answer  Average length of call 
			 October 2006 00:14 06:02 
			 November 2006 00:16 05:56 
			 December 2006 00:19 06:11 
			 January 2007 00:24 06:16 
			 February 2007 00:35 06:12 
			 March 2007 00:38 06:11 
			 April 2007 00:43 05:53 
			 May 2007 00:45 06:07 
			 June 2007 01:14 06:26 
			 July 2007 01:14 06:50 
			 August 2007 01:05 06:51 
			 September 2007 00:49 06:56 
			 October 2007 00:33 06:34 
			 November 2007 00:30 06:46 
			 December 2007 00:20 06:35 
			 January 2008 00:40 06:51 
			 February 2008 00:39 06:39 
		
	
	
		
			  Benefit Enquiry Line( 1) 
			  Month  Average speed to answer  Average length of call 
			 April 2000  03:21 
			 May 2000  03:17 
			 June 2000  03:09 
			 July 2000  03:06 
			 August 2000  03:02 
			 September 2000  02:56 
			 October 2000  02:44 
			 November 2000  03:00 
			 December 2000  02:42 
			 January 2001  02:53 
			 February 2001  02:50 
			 March 2001  02:50 
			 April 2001  02:45 
			 May 2001  02:46 
			 June 2001  02:45 
			 July 2001  02:46 
			 August 2001  02:52 
			 September 2001  02:48 
			 October 2001  02:46 
			 November 2001  02:40 
			 December 2001  02:40 
			 January 2002  02:38 
			 February 2002  02:50 
			 March 2002  02:59 
			 April 2002  02:53 
			 May 2002  02:50 
			 June 2002  02:57 
			 July 2002  03:00 
			 August 2002  02:56 
			 September 2002  02:57 
			 October 2002  02:57 
			 November 2002  03:05 
			 December 2002  02:45 
			 January 2003  02:52 
			 February 2003  02:55 
			 March 2003  02:42 
			 April 2003  02:35 
			 May 2003  02:43 
			 June 2003  02:42 
			 July 2003  02:42 
			 August 2003  02:42 
			 September 2003  02:42 
			 October 2003  02:50 
			 November 2003  02:54 
			 December 2003  02:51 
			 January 2004  02:58 
			 February 2004  02:50 
			 March 2004  02:48 
			 April 2004 02:02 02:48 
			 May 2004 01:39 02:44 
			 June 2004 01:34 02:39 
			 July 2004 02:50 02:47 
			 August 2004 01:40 02:44 
			 September 2004 00:59 02:44 
			 October 2004 01:24 02:49 
			 November 2004 01:54 02:52 
			 December 2004 01:15 02:46 
			 January 2005 02:00 02:53 
			 February 2005 02:22 02:52 
			 March 2005 02:37 02:54 
			 April 2005 02:09 02:31 
			 May 2005 02:38 02:34 
			 June 2005 02:51 03:01 
			 July 2005 02:47 03:01 
			 August 2005 02:12 03:01 
			 September 2005 03:00 02:52 
			 October 2005 03:10 02:58 
			 November 2005 01:26 02:48 
			 December 2005 01:22 02:44 
			 January 2006 01:39 02:53 
			 February 2006 01:21 02:52 
			 March 2006 01:18 02:54 
			 April 2006 01:46 02:31 
			 May 2006 00:46 02:34 
			 June 2006 00:16 03:01 
			 July 2006 00:21 03:01 
			 August 2006 00:31 03:01 
			 September 2006 00:31 02:52 
			 October 2006 00:29 02:58 
			 November 2006 00:14 02:48 
			 December 2006 00:14 02:44 
			 January 2007 00:43 02:50 
			 February 2007 00:42 02:51 
			 March 2007 00:35 02:49 
			 April 2007 00:47 02:50 
			 May 2007 00:44 02:49 
			 June 2007 00:35 02:48 
			 July 2007 00:43 02:50 
			 August 2007 00:52 02:54 
			 September 2007 00:44 02:53 
			 October 2007 00:37 02:53 
			 November 2007 00:31 02:52 
			 December 2007 00:36 02:43 
			 January 2008 00:46 02:52 
			 February 2008 01:08 02:54 
			 March 2008 01:04 02:49 
			 (1)Average call duration data not available prior 2000. Average speed to answer data not available prior April 2004 
		
	
	
		
			  DLA/AA Helpline( 1) 
			  Month  Average speed to answer  Average length of call 
			 April 2000  02:59 
			 May 2000  03:00 
			 June 2000  03:01 
			 July 2000  03:03 
			 August 2000  03:05 
			 September 2000  02:58 
			 October 2000  03:00 
			 November 2000  03:00 
			 December 2000  02:58 
			 January 2001  02:58 
			 February 2001  02:55 
			 March 2001  02:54 
			 April 2001 _ 02:52 
			 May 2001 _ 02:51 
			 June 2001  02:49 
			 July 2001  02:50 
			 August 2001  02:52 
			 September 2001  02:50 
			 October 2001  02:54 
			 November 2001  02:56 
			 December 2001  02:54 
			 January 2002  02:57 
			 February 2002  02:58 
			 March 2002  02:54 
			 April 2002  02:55 
			 May 2002  02:55 
			 June 2002  02:57 
			 July 2002  03:00 
			 August 2002  03:01 
			 September 2002  03:02 
			 October 2002  03:03 
			 November 2002  03:03 
			 December 2002  02:56 
			 January 2003  02:51 
			 February 2003  03:40 
			 March 2003  03:70 
			 April 2003  03:01 
			 May 2003  02:58 
			 June 2003  02:52 
			 July 2003  02:57 
			 August 2003  03:06 
			 September 2003  02:55 
			 October 2003  03:00 
			 November 2003  03:04 
			 December 2003  02:52 
			 January 2004  02:53 
			 February 2004  02:51 
			 March 2004  02:40 
			 April 2004  02:42 
			 May 2004  02:49 
			 June 2004  02:42 
			 July 2004  02:52 
			 August 2004  02:54 
			 September 2004  02:47 
			 October 2004  02:45 
			 November 2004  02:44 
			 December 2004  02:49 
			 January 2005  02:51 
			 February 2005  02:58 
			 March 2005  02:58 
			 April 2005 00:43 02:45 
			 May 2005 00:51 02:45 
			 June 2005 00:34 02:48 
			 July 2005 00:31 02:51 
			 August 2005 01:27 02:49 
			 September 2005 01:22 02:54 
			 October 2005 01:29 02:58 
			 November 2005 01:41 03:00 
			 December 2005 01:53 02:54 
			 January 2006 01:26 02:49 
			 February 2006 01:55 02:54 
			 March 2006 02:39 02:57 
			 April 2006 01:55 03:00 
			 May 2006 01:26 02:54 
			 June 2006 01:31 02:54 
			 July 2006 01:30 02:55 
			 August 2006 01:29 02:55 
			 September 2006 01:23 02:57 
			 October 2006 01:13 02:57 
			 November 2006 01:07 02:57 
			 December 2006 01:11 02:54 
			 January 2007 01:19 02:43 
			 February 2007 01:12 02:57 
			 March 2007 01:10 02:48 
			 April 2007 01:23 02:54 
			 May 2007 01:20 02:55 
			 June 2007 01:20 02:54 
			 July 2007 01:27 02:56 
			 August 2007 01:34 02:57 
			 September 2007 01:34 02:55 
			 October 2007 01:18 02:55 
			 November 2007 01:25 02:52 
			 December 2007 01:11 02:49 
			 January 2008 01:35 02:52 
			 February 2008 01:36 03:48 
			 March 2008 01:35 03:06 
			 (1)Average call duration data not available prior 2000. Average speed to answer data not available prior April 2005.

State Retirement Pensions

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an estimate of the percentage increase in the basic state pension which could be paid in each year between 2009-10 and 2012-13 were tax revenue to be increased by the amount needed to enable the annual surplus in the National Insurance Fund to be used for such a purpose.

Mike O'Brien: When national insurance contributions are made, a proportion of them go directly to help fund the NHS, while the rest are paid into the national insurance fund (NIF). The fund pays out contributory benefits to which people who have paid sufficient contributions are entitled, such as the basic state pension, incapacity benefit and contribution-based jobseeker's allowance.
	National insurance contributions and associated social security benefits operate within the Government's fiscal rules designed to ensure sound public finances and when there is a surplus, it is invested in public services. Any surplus of contributions over social security benefits in any one year (the NIF surplus) is not therefore an extra resource available to spend.
	As the Government Actuary's latest report on the draft Social Security Benefits up-rating and Contributions re-rating Orders (CM7312) notes, the excess of income overpayments each year is the difference between two large numbers and so quite small percentage changes in either of them results in a large percentage change in the surplus income. This, in turn, could have a significant effect on the fund balances.
	However, if the equivalent of the national insurance fund's annual excess of receipts overpayments projected by the Acting Government Actuary for the years 2009-10 to 2012-13 were paid in its entirety to recipients of basic state pension, this would lead to an estimated percentage increase in the basic state pension of around 24 per cent. in 2009-10 and around 6 per cent. in the years 2010-11 to 2012-13. Any increase in basic state pension expenditure has a cumulative impact on Government spending going forward.
	The equivalent of the excess of receipts overpayments would need to be raised through tax increases to maintain the Government's fiscal strategy. The Government are committed to long-term sustainable state pension provision and views short-term spending of the NIF surplus as unaffordable going forward. The Government have guaranteed the basic state pension will increase each year in line with prices or 2.5 per cent., whichever is higher, and subject to affordability and the fiscal position, to increase the basic state pension in line with earnings in 2012, but by the end of the next Parliament at the latest.

Tax Allowances: Carers

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of increasing the second adult rebate for carers to the level of the single person's discount on council tax; and what assessment he has made of the merits of such an increase.

Stephen Timms: There is no second adult rebate specifically for carers. Certain carers are disregarded for council tax purposes, as long as the person they are caring for meets the qualifying conditions. The purpose of the disregard is to ensure that a person who would otherwise be entitled to a single person discount does not lose it because they require a carer to live with them.

Unemployment

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 66-7W, on unemployment, what the evidential basis was for the Secretary of State's Answer of 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 5, on child poverty, that the UK had been lagging below the average in Europe regarding the proportion of children living in workless households but was now above the average; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 7 February 2008
	The evidential basis for the Secretary of State's answer of 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 5, about the UK's relative improvement on child poverty compared to other European countries was the European Community Household Panel Survey (for 1997 data) and the EU Survey of Income and Living Conditions (for 2005 data).
	In 1997, the UK had the highest child poverty rate in Europe. The UK's child poverty rate was 27 per cent. in 1997, compared to an EU average (EU-15) of 19 per cent. The 2005 data show that child poverty was 22 per cent. in the UK, approaching the EU average (EU-25) of 19 per cent. Due to the change in data sources data from 1997 and 2005 are not directly comparable.
	This is different from the data on children in workless households which are produced from the EU Labour Force Survey.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Anne McGuire: Current DWP records extend back to the 2003-04 financial year.
	The annual spend with Zurich Financial Services from 2003-04 is as follows:
	
		
			
			 2003-04 999.86 
			 2004-05 1,233.46 
			 2005-06 2,423.00 
			 2006-07 0.00 
			 2007-08 0.00 
		
	
	Unfortunately, the DWP accounting system in operation at the time did not record the specific reason for individual payments but classified them into broad accountancy groupings. For this reason and the time elapsed since the last of the payments were made, it is not possible to say what the purpose of each payment was.
	Information is not available for the period prior to 2003 and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

JUSTICE

Bail: Housing

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 2 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1060W, on bail: housing, what local schemes are being considered under the Bail Accommodation Support Scheme; what the  (a) area,  (b) number of dwellings being considered and  (c) the nature of the dwellings' current use is in each case; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: A list of the locations where properties have either been obtained or are being sought by ClearSprings for the Bail Accommodation and Support Service was published on 21 January 2008,  Official Report , columns 1655-58W. We are continually assessing the need and ClearSprings will consider a number of properties in each location. They are required to consult the local authority, the police and probation on the suitability of properties. The properties used are normal residential dwellings and remain so while occupied by those benefiting from the service.

Burglary: Prosecutions

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of recorded burglaries resulted in a  (a) prosecution and  (b) conviction in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: Information on number of offences of burglary recorded by the police is provided in table 1 as follows:
	
		
			  Table 1: Offences of total burglary recorded by the police, 1997 to 2006-07 
			   Number of offences 
			 1997 1,015,075 
			 1997-98 988,432 
			 1998-99 953,184 
			 1999-2000 906,468 
			 2000-01 836,027 
			 2001-02(1) 878,509 
			 2002-03 890,099 
			 2003-04 820,013 
			 2004-05 680,358 
			 2005-06 645,068 
			 2006-07 622,044 
			 (1) The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced in April 2002. Figures before and after that date are not directly comparable.  Source: Home Office recorded crime statistics. 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the number of defendants proceeded against and found guilty at all courts for burglary for the years 1997 to 2006.
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for burglary, England and Wales, 1997 to 2006( 1, 2) 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 1997 49,530 31,703 
			 1998 48,114 30,769 
			 1999 46,141 29,261 
			 2000 42,406 26,222 
			 2001 41,593 24,802 
			 2002 43,648 26,691 
			 2003 41,281 25,726 
			 2004 35,372 24,252 
			 2005 31,805 22,951 
			 2006 30,637 22,955 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Sources: Court Proceedings Database. Office for Criminal Justice Reform. Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	Recorded crime and court proceedings statistics are from two different databases and recorded in quite different ways. Recorded crime data are provided on a financial year basis and count offences whereas court proceedings data are on a calendar year basis and count offenders. Therefore, these two separate data-sets are not directly comparable.
	The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

Convictions: Pupils

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children under 16 years of age received  (a) a criminal conviction and  (b) a criminal conviction for an offence committed on school property in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Data showing the number of defendants aged 10 to 15 who received a conviction for all offences in England and Wales from 1997 to 2006 are in the following table.
	The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	My Department holds information on defendants proceeded against and found guilty of criminal offences in England and Wales. These data include information on the age and sex of the defendants, the court where proceedings took place as well as the outcome for specific offences including sentencing information. The court proceedings database does not hold information on the individual circumstances of offences beyond that described in the statute for which prosecutions are brought. For example the Ministry of Justice cannot separately identify offences committed on school property from offences committed elsewhere.
	
		
			  Number of defendants aged 10 to 15 found guilty for all offences, England and Wales, 1997 to 2006( 1, 2) 
			   Found guilty 
			 1997 24,748 
			 1998 28,266 
			 1999 31,428 
			 2000 33,010 
			 2001 34,808 
			 2002 34,123 
			 2003 33,484 
			 2004 35,656 
			 2005 37,121 
			 2006 37,300 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Coroners

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when a revised version of the Charter for the Bereaved will be issued; and if he will ensure that charities representing those bereaved as a result of sudden medical deaths are consulted before the revision takes place.

Bridget Prentice: I will be issuing the draft Charter for Bereaved People for further consultation in the early summer. The draft charter was published alongside the draft Coroners Bill in June 2006. Like the Bill, the charter has been subject to extensive consultation and has been revised in response to helpful and constructive feedback from stakeholders, including charities representing the bereaved as a result of sudden medical deaths. These charities will also be invited to comment on the revised draft.

Coroners Bill (Draft)

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reason for the time taken to introduce the Coroners Bill to Parliament is; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Government are committed to reforming the coroner service for England and Wales, and to making non-legislative improvements ahead of a Coroners Bill. There was no space for the Coroners Bill in this Session's busy legislative programme but the firm intention remains to introduce a Bill as soon as time allows. Measures to be introduced ahead of legislation include strengthening Rule 43 of the Coroners Rules 1984 to help coroners to prevent future deaths, revising the Charter for the Bereaved for a reformed service, and working with the Press Complaints Commission to establish whether their code of practice for editors could be refined, in respect of the reporting of inquests, for the benefit of bereaved families.

Coroners: Children

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to ensure that coroners and local safeguarding children boards work together effectively to investigate child deaths.

Bridget Prentice: Arrangements are already being made to introduce a new Coroners Rule to ensure that coroners and Local Safeguarding Children Boards have the correct framework to work together effectively with their respective statutory responsibilities to investigate child deaths.

Coroners: Mesothelioma

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what representations he has received on the procedures used in coroners' inquests following a death from mesothelioma in the last 12 months

Bridget Prentice: In February 2007, my Department received the report of the British Lung Foundation on its research in to the investigation of mesothelioma deaths. My officials have met with representatives of the British Lung Foundation to discuss their report, and facilitated meetings between the Foundation and the Coroners Society. Following these meetings, best practice guidance for coroners and clinicians on how deaths from mesothelioma should be dealt with has been published on the Coroners Society website. The needs of the bereaved are integral to our proposals in regard to longer term reform of the coroners' service. The appointment of a chief coroner and the introduction of national standards of service, which will be enabled by the Coroners Bill, will also address concerns about inconsistencies of practice between coroner areas. We will bring forward legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows, and continue to consult with the British Lung Foundation about those parts of the Bill which effect the investigation of mesothelioma deaths. In February 2008, I attended a parliamentary reception hosted by the British Lung Foundation and I was happy to give a commitment to work with them as the Government develops its policy further in these areas.

Crime: Victims

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 555W, on crime: victims, what terms of employment or appointment were specified for the post of commissioner for victims and witnesses in the recruitment exercise.

Maria Eagle: The recruitment exercise carried out in 2006 for the post of Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses suggested a salary in the region of 120,000 depending on the knowledge, experience and skills of the successful candidate.
	The Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004 required that the period of appointment must not exceed five years.
	The recruitment exercise was carried out in accordance with the Code of Practice For Public Appointments.

Data Protection

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2844W, on data protection, for what reasons  (a) there was no Government response to the Council of Science and Technology's 2005 report on data security and  (b) none of the recommendations have been implemented.

Michael Wills: The Council of Science and Technology's 2005 (CST) report was one of a number of pieces of work being produced within and independent of Government in the last five years which influenced thinking on how to tackle the challenges of making better use of information whilst safeguarding personal data and helped inform the Information Sharing Vision Statement in September 2006. It was because of the useful work that Dr Mark Walport did with the CST that the PM asked him to undertake a comprehensive review with the Information Commissioner of the use and sharing of personal information in the public and private sectors.
	The Government will take a considered view on what measures are necessary to strengthen the protection of personal information in the light of conclusions and recommendations of this review and the review by the Cabinet Secretary.

Departmental Advertising

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which of his Department's initiatives and those of its predecessors have been advertised to the public in each of the last 10 years; and what the cost of each such campaign was.

Maria Eagle: Since its creation on 9 May 2007, my Department, the Ministry of Justice and its agencies have advertised the following:
	
		
			   Radio ()  Press/poster () 
			  Her Majesty's Courts Service   
			 Camberwell Green Magistrates Court Payback Scheme  2,100 
			
			  HM Prison Service   
			 National Prison Officer Recruitment 151,000 888,600 
			
			  National Probation Service   
			 Recruitment of Trainee Probation Officers  14,506 
		
	
	The predecessor Department to the Ministry of Justice (the Department for Constitutional AffairsDCA) was created on 12 June 2003. It conducted the following advertising campaigns aimed at the public, and the following table sets out the costs of these campaigns.
	
		
			  Department for Constitutional Affairs 
			   Radio ()  Press/poster () 
			  2006-07   
			 Operation Payback (fine enforcement) (Phase 4)  21,000 
			
			  2005-06   
			 Operation Payback (Phase 3) 94,000 158,000 
			 Postal voting  188,000 
			 Magistrates recruitment 107,000 522,000 
			 18-24 voter registration 62,000  
			
			  2004-05   
			 Operation Payback (Phase 2) 95,000 164,000 
			 Magistrates recruitment  124,000 
			
			  2003-04   
			 Operation Payback (Phase 1) 79,000 133,000 
			 Magistrates recruitment  431,000 
		
	
	Spending on advertising campaigns by the DCA's predecessor, the Lord Chancellor's Department, was as follows:
	
		
			
			  2000-01  
			 Launch of the Community Legal Service and increasing awareness of family mediation 1,646,000 
			   
			  1999-2000  
			 Raising awareness of lost land certificates 14,000 
			 Publicising court closures 19,000 
			   
			  1998-99  
			 Magistrates recruitment 427,000

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what visits he made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007; and what events he attended at each.

Jack Straw: My predecessor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, spoke at the Queen Elizabeth Centre, London on 12 September 2005 to the Commonwealth Law Conference and on 10 March 2006 to the ESRC Devolution and Constitutional Change Conference. Lord Falconer also spoke at the Business Design, Islington, London on 10 January 2007 to the Public Guardianship Office staff conference.

Departmental Publications

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance is issued to members of his Department on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Civil Service Code, the Civil Service Management Code and Propriety Guidance on Government Communications, all provide guidance to staff on the publication of material relating to their official duties. Copies of each of these are in the Libraries of the House. They are also available on the Cabinet Office website at
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Departmental Video Conferencing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to set a target to increase the use of video-conferencing by his Department to reduce the need to travel to meetings.

Jack Straw: The Ministry of Justice's Sustainable Development action plan which was published on the 14 March 2008 requires the Department to produce a high level transport plan setting out measures that will enable the Department to reduce the impact of business travel on the environment. The increased use of video-conferencing equipment will be an integral part of the plan.
	A copy of the action plan is available on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/sustainable-development.pdf

Feltham Young Offender Institution and Remand Centre

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the  (a) name and  (b) capacity is of each unit at HM Young Offender Institution Feltham; who the residential manager is of each; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The information is set out in the following table. The numbers relate to operational capacity. It is not Prison Service policy to name individual members of staff.
	
		
			  Unit Name  OpCap 
			 Albatross 16 
			 Bittern 30 
			 Curlew 30 
			 Dunlin 30 
			 Eagle 30 
			 Falcon 30 
			 Grebe 30 
			 Heron 30 
			 Jay 30 
			 Kingfisher 54 
			 Mallard 56 
			 Nightingale 56 
			 Osprey 56 
			 Partridge 56 
			 Quail 56 
			 Raven 56 
			 Swallow 56 
			 Teal 44 
			 Wren 16 
		
	
	There is also Lapwing Unit which has 38 beds, which is currently commissioned as a 20 bed mental health inpatients unit, and is not on the establishment's certified normal accommodation.

Fixed Penalties: Young People

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many police forces have issued fixed penalty notices for disorder to persons under the age of 16 under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001.

David Hanson: Seven police forces in six areas have issued penalty notices for disorder to under 16s during the pilots.

Forced Marriage

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of reported victims of forced marriage were aged  (a) below 18,  (b) 18 to 24 and  (c) over 24 years in the latest period for which figures are available.

Meg Munn: I have been asked to reply.
	In 2007, the forced marriage unit dealt with 168 overseas assistance cases. Of these cases, where age is known, 37 per cent. involved victims under 18, 49 per cent. involved victims aged 18 to 24 and 14 per cent. involved victims over 24.

Homicide: Sentencing

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what percentage of people convicted of murder under  (a) the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965 and  (b) Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 received the mandatory sentence established by the Act under which they were convicted in each of the last seven years, broken down by age group; and what the average sentence of those convicted of murder under either Act was in each of the last seven years.

David Hanson: The Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965 provides that the only mandatory sentence for a person convicted of murder is imprisonment for life. The number of such sentences by age group is given in the following table.
	The average sentence in terms of time served upon completion of the minimum tariff as established by the court at the time of sentencing is decided by a parole board in each case. We do not collect data on the minimum tariff but Table 10.5 in the Ministry of Justice statistical bulletin, 'Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2006' shows the number of first releases from prison on life licence for mandatory lifers and average time served. Between 2000 and 2006 the mean time served has been between 13 and 15 years.
	
		
			   Age band  Total sentenced 
			 2000 10 to 17 20 
			  18 to 20 22 
			  21 and over 219 
			
			 2001 10 to 17 27 
			  18 to 20 26 
			  21 and over 232 
			
			 2002 10 to 17 20 
			  18 to 20 23 
			  21 and over 281 
			
			 2003 10 to 17 9 
			  18 to 20 35 
			  21 and over 233 
			
			 2004 10 to 17 13 
			  18 to 20 42 
			  21 and over 306 
			
			 2005 10 to 17 19 
			  18 to 20 40 
			  21 and over 329 
			
			 2006 10 to 17 19 
			  18 to 20 40 
			  21 and over 313

Information Commissioner: Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the rate of employer contributions is to the pension scheme of which employees at the Office of the Information Commissioner are members.

Michael Wills: The average accruing superannuation liability charges (ASLCs), which is the pension contribution payable by the Office of the Information Commissioner as an employer, is currently 19.4 per cent. of pensionable pay for the year commencing 1 April 2008. The principal civil service pension scheme (PCSPS) actuary has conducted a full valuation of the scheme liabilities as at 31 March 2007 and, as a result, this contribution will reduce to 18.9 per cent. for the year commencing 1 April 2009.

Internet: Data Protection

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the adequacy of safeguards for internet users who have their online activities monitored by internet service providers;
	(2)  what consideration he has given to introducing legislation that would require an opt-in for internet users before internet service providers are allowed to collect information about which websites an individual visits.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Information Commissioner made a statement on 3 March 2008 that it was in discussion with one company about the nature of its service and the way it uses information about ISP customers. My Department will consider the continued relevance of the current safeguards and legislation in the light of the outcome of those discussions.

Life Imprisonment: Prisoners' Release

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2008,  Official Report, column 485W, on life imprisonment: prisoners' release, how many prisoners sentenced to life since 1997 have been subsequently released from custody.

Maria Eagle: To provide the information requested would still require manual checking of individual records which could be carried out only at disproportionate cost. Data migration for the Department's new database is currently under way and will be subject to data quality assurance. Once the information that the hon. Member has requested is available, I will write to him.

Magistrates

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates have experience of  (a) skilled,  (b) semi-skilled and  (c) unskilled manual work.

Jack Straw: Occupations of magistrates are recorded in the categories listed in the following table. The table shows how many magistrates are recorded in each category as of March 2008. This information is recorded on appointment, it therefore does not necessarily show their current occupation.
	
		
			  Category  Number of magistrates  Percentage 
			 Self-employed 1,196 4 
			 Not in Paid Employment 2,250 8 
			 Retired 528 2 
			 Manager or Senior Official 5,499 19 
			 Skilled Trades Occupation 726 2 
			 Personal Service Occupation 406 2 
			 Sales or Customer Service Occupation 488 2 
			 Process Plant or Machine Operative 219 1 
			 Never been in paid Employment 51 0 
			 Administrative or Secretarial Occupation 5,181 17 
			 Elementary Occupation 206 1 
			 Professional Occupation 9,880 33 
			 Associate Professional or Technical Occupation 2,786 9 
			 Total 29,416 100

Offensive Weapons: Sentencing

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what percentage of people convicted of possession of a knife in a public place under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 received the maximum sentence of four years in prison established by the Act in each month since its inception, broken down by age group; and what the average sentence was of those convicted of possession of a knife in a public place under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 in each month since it came into force.

Jack Straw: The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 came into effect in February 2007 and doubled the maximum sentence for people convicted of possession of a knife in a public place from two to four years.
	Annual statistics for 2007 will be published in the autumn.

Police Custody

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many police cells in England and Wales assigned to Operation Safeguard were being paid for by his Department but not used in each of the last 52 weeks for which figures are available; and what the cost to his Department was in each of those weeks.

Jack Straw: Police cells are made available through Operation Safeguard under an agreement between ACPO and the National Offender Management Service.
	The following table shows the number of places available under Safeguard and the numbers not used from the week ending 1 April 2007 to the week ending 23 March 2008. The average number of places available and not used are also shown.
	Police forces invoice for the total number of cells made available and the Ministry of Justice does not separate costs relating to used and unused cells.
	Police cells were used to hold prisoners regularly from 1982 until 1993 and from 1994 to 1995, and use peaked when more than 1,000 prisoners a night were being regularly held in police cells in 1988 and in 1990-92 (based on end of month data).
	
		
			 Average number of places 
			  Week ending Sunday  Total number of places available  Total number of places not used  Available per night( 1)  Not used per night( 1) 
			 1 April 2007 2,289 249 327 36 
			 8 April 2007 2,510 1,554 359 222 
			 15 April 2007 2,629 1,933 376 276 
			 22 April 2007 2,605 1,841 372 263 
			 29 April 2007 2,509 1,208 358 173 
			 6 May 2007 2,624 792 375 113 
			 13 May 2007 2,609 817 373 117 
			 20 May 2007 2,640 370 377 53 
			 27 May 2007 2,631 266 376 38 
			 3 June 2007 2,594 318 371 45 
			 10 June 2007 2,571 91 367 13 
			 17 June 2007 2,835 212 405 30 
			 24 June 2007 2,649 515 378 74 
			 1 July 2007 2,578 1,177 368 168 
			 8 July 2007 2,583 2,569 369 367 
			 15 July 2007 2,583 2,583 369 369 
			 22 July 2007 2,583 2,583 369 369 
			 29 July 2007 1,783 1,266 255 181 
			 5 August 2007 1,768 892 253 127 
			 12 August 2007 1,880 338 269 48 
			 19 August 2007 1,905 1,242 272 177 
			 26 August 2007 1,841 944 263 135 
			 2 September 2007 1,989 589 284 84 
			 9 September 2007 2,173 655 310 94 
			 16 September 2007 2,214 413 316 59 
			 23 September 2007 2,345 465 335 66 
			 30 September 2007 2,421 217 346 31 
			 7 October 2007 2,487 616 355 88 
			 14 October 2007 2,581 431 369 62 
			 21 October 2007 2,587 163 370 23 
			 28 October 2007 2,585 523 369 75 
			 4 November 2007 2,579 283 368 40 
			 11 November 2007 2,668 581 381 83 
			 18 November 2007 2,609 611 373 87 
			 25 November 2007 2,692 1,159 385 166 
			 2 December 2007 2,711 1,556 387 222 
			 9 December 2007 2,636 1,701 377 243 
			 16 December 2007 2,542 1,951 363 279 
			 23 December 2007 2,464 2,366 352 338 
			 30 December 2007 1,400 1,400 200 200 
			 6 January 2008 1,937 1,937 277 277 
			 13 January 2008 1,685 1,685 241 241 
			 20 January 2008 1,147 942 164 135 
			 27 January 2008 1,117 437 160 62 
			 3 February 2008 1,106 0 158 0 
			 10 February 2008 1,951 0 279 0 
			 17 February 2008 2,368 227 338 32 
			 24 February 2008 2,313 270 330 39 
			 2 March 2008 2,220 548 317 78 
			 9 March 2008 2,180 1,723 311 246 
			 16 March 2008 2,228 1,954 318 279 
			 23 March 2008 2,167 1,822 310 260 
			 (1) Based on number of nights that Safeguard was available in each week rounded to the nearest whole number.

Police Custody

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions prisoners have been housed at police stations in each of the last six months; and at what additional cost.

Jack Straw: The following figures give the number of occasions on which prisoners were held in police cells under Operation Safeguard in England and Wales in each of the last six months and the average number of prisoners per night. One occasion is defined as one prisoner night spent in a police cell.
	
		
			  Month  Number of occasions  Average number in Safeguard per night( 1) 
			 October 2007 9,565 309 
			 November 2007 7,693 256 
			 December 2007 1,960 63 
			 January 2008 1,766 57 
			 February 2008 9,720 335 
			 March 2008 2,004 65 
			 (1) Based on number of nights that Safeguard was available in each month 
		
	
	Police forces invoice NOMS in arrears and it is not possible to attach a specific cost to each of these figures. However, the current estimated average cost of a Safeguard place is about 385 per night.
	In addition there were some 144 ad-hoc lockouts in the last six months. This is an emergency measure to hold prisoners overnight. It is used, for example, when the designated prison's reception will be closed before their arrival time, usually due to the distance of the journey or time of departure from court. Ad-hoc lockouts cost an average 120 per night.
	Police cells have been used to hold prisoners before. They were used to hold prisoners regularly from 1982 until 1993, and from 1994-95. They were also used from July to November 2002. Their use peaked in 1988, and peaked again in 1990-92, when more than 1,000 prisoners a night were being regularly held in police cells.

Police Custody

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost per night was for holding people in custody in  (a) police cells and  (b) prisons in Essex in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jack Straw: Police forces invoice in arrears for Operation Safeguard and it is often difficult deriving an accurate average for a particular force. In the case of Essex, however, invoices and data for Safeguard use between 16 October 2006 and 30 September 2007 allow us to calculate an average cost of 349 for holding a prisoner in a police cell overnight during that period.
	This compares with a currently estimated average for 2007-08 across England and Wales of about 385 per night.
	The most recent figures for prisons are for 2006-07. In the two Essex establishments the average cost was 80 at Chelmsford and 136 at Bullwood Hall.

Police Custody: Young People

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juveniles were held overnight in custody in police cells in Essex in each of the last three years.

Jack Straw: Since October 2006 the Government have used police cells in significant numbers to help manage pressure in the prison population. The Government's policy however is that juveniles should only be held overnight in police cells in the most exceptional circumstances. It should not happen routinely. Our records indicate that since October 2006 two juveniles have been held overnight in police cells in Essex. Data prior to this cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Prisoners

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders who received indeterminate public protection sentences are being held in  (a) Category C and  (b) Category D prisons.

David Hanson: At the end of February 2008 there were  (a) 480 prisoners serving indeterminate public protection sentences in all Category C prison establishments in England and Wales and  (b) 50 in all Category D prison establishments in England and Wales.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and are rounded to the nearest 10.

Prisoners

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent estimate he has made of the impact of licence recalls on the prison population.

David Hanson: At the end of February 2008 there were 5,509 recalled prisoners held in all prison establishments in England and Wales.
	Recalls include all those recalled from licence and other early release schemes.

Prisoners

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will introduce an additional system of reward and penalty for prisoners who have been returned to prison as a result of a licence recall.

David Hanson: There are no plans to introduce an additional system of reward and penalty for prisoners returned to prison as a result of a licence recall. On entering custody all prisoners are placed on the standard level of the Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme and the appropriateness of the level is reviewed after one month.

Prisoners: Disabled

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure that prisons comply with their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.

David Hanson: The Ministry of Justice has just published its Disability Equality Scheme which covers all prisons. It sets out the approach that the Ministry of Justice will take to fulfil its statutory obligations to deliver equality of opportunity to disabled staff, offenders and other persons who come into contact with the Ministry of Justice.
	The National Offender Management Service will in April issue a revised prison service order and standard, to expand on and update existing instructions. These explain the duties and responsibilities prisons have for prisoners with disabilities. It sets out those actions which must be undertaken by prison staff to ensure that the duties under the Disability Discrimination Act are met.

Prisoners: Females

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what mechanisms are in place for the rehabilitation of female youth offenders, with particular reference to programmes involving the construction industry.

David Hanson: All young women aged under 18 in custody receive a minimum of 22 hours of learning and skills provision, which must contain one third core education (English, Maths etc), one third vocational education, and one third for other education such as physical education and citizenship. In addition, depending on the young woman's individual needs, she may be required to attend offending behaviour programmes or receive specialist substance misuse services.
	Although I am not aware of a specific construction programme for young female offenders, the Government have been engaging employers as part of the reducing re-offending Corporate Alliance. The aim of this alliance is to work in partnership with employers to improve the skills and employment outcomes for offenders. To date, we have over 100 employers signed up, some of whom are from the construction industry.

Prisoners: Females

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of female offenders  (a) were given custodial sentences in each of the last 10 years and  (b) have been given these sentences in 2008 to date; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The requested information is contained in the following table.
	Statistics for 2007 will be published in the autumn. Statistics for 2008 will be published next year.
	
		
			  Number of women sentenced( 1)  and given immediate custody, all courts, England and Wales, 1997 to 2006 
			Female offenders 
			 1997 Total sentenced 216,986 
			  Immediate custody 5,506 
			  Percentage of total 2.5 
			
			 1998 Total sentenced 235,494 
			  Immediate custody 6,567 
			  Percentage of total 2.8 
			 1999 Total sentenced 220,007 
			  Immediate custody 7,504 
			  Percentage of total 3.4 
			
			 2000 Total sentenced 256,090 
			  Immediate custody 7,900 
			  Percentage of total 3.1 
			
			 2001 Total sentenced 237,497 
			  Immediate custody 8,061 
			  Percentage of total 3.4 
			
			 2002 Total sentenced 258,595 
			  Immediate custody 8,831 
			  Percentage of total 3.4 
			
			 2003 Total sentenced 260,617 
			  Immediate custody 8,810 
			  Percentage of total 3.4 
			
			 2004 Total sentenced 279,485 
			  Immediate custody 8,754 
			  Percentage of total 3.1 
			
			 2005 Total sentenced 282,614 
			  Immediate custody 8,281 
			  Percentage of total 2.9 
			
			 2006 Total sentenced 277,712 
			  Immediate custody 7,844 
			  Percentage of total 2.8 
			 (1) Principal offence basis.  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Females

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will provide a breakdown of the number and proportion of women given custodial sentences by the length of sentence in  (a) each of the last five years and  (b) in 2008 to date; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The available information is contained in the following table.
	Statistics for 2007 will be published in the autumn. Statistics for 2008 will be published next year.
	
		
			  Number of women sentenced( 1)  to immediate custody and percentage of total, all ages, all courts, England and Wales 2002-06 
			  Number of persons 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  Length of sentence  Number given custody  % of total  Number given custody  % of total  Number given custody  % of total  Number given custody  % of total  Number given custody  % of total 
			 Up to and including 3 months 4,428 50.1 4,418 50.1 4,299 49.1 3,916 47.3 3,670 46.8 
			 Over 3 months and up to and including 6 months 1,860 21.1 1,902 21.6 1,910 21.8 1,882 22.7 1,756 22.4 
			 Over 6 months and up to and including 12 months 411 4.7 379 4.3 442 5.0 469 5.7 500 6.4 
			 12 months 358 4.1 362 4.1 364 4.2 414 5.0 398 5.1 
			 Over 12 months and up to and including 18 months 429 4.9 433 4.9 378 4.3 430 5.2 419 5.3 
			 Over 18 months and up and including 3 years 757 8.6 727 8.3 743 8.5 630 7.6 644 8.2 
			 Over 3 years and less than 4 years 157 1.8 115 1.3 158 1.8 99 1.2 81 1.0 
			 Four years 107 1.2 126 1.4 110 1.3 88 1.1 81 1.0 
			 Over 4 years and up to and including 5 years 104 1.2 113 1.3 138 1.6 122 1.5 69 0.9 
			 Over 5 years and up to and including 10 years 169 1.9 183 2.1 167 1.9 166 2.0 146 1.9 
			 Over 10 years and less than life 29 (2) 25 (2) 21 (2) 15 (2) 18 (2) 
			 Life 19 (2) 24 (2) 22 (2) 31 (2) 16 (2) 
			 Total 8,831 100 8,810 100 8,754 100 8,281 100 7,844 100 
			 (1) Principal offence basis. (2) Indicates a percentage total of less than 1 per cent.  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Police Custody

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many prisoners have been held in police cells  (a) in total and  (b) in each police force area since the start of 2008; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many times police cells have been used to house prisoners overnight under Operation Safeguard in 2008 to date, broken down by police force; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: This year, up until the night of 27/28 March, prisoners have been held in police cells under Operation Safeguard on 12,122 occasions, which equates to an average of 139 prisoners per night. An occasion is one prisoner night. The following table breaks this down by police force areas.
	
		
			  Police area  Occasions  Average number in Safeguard per night( 1) 
			 Avon and Somerset 35 0.4 
			 Bedfordshire 82 0.9 
			 Cambridgeshire 269 3.1 
			 Cheshire 1,073 12.3 
			 Cleveland 0 0.0 
			 Cumbria 89 1.0 
			 Derbyshire 189 2.2 
			 Devon and Cornwall 416 4.8 
			 Dorset 74 0.9 
			 Durham 270 3.1 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0.0 
			 Essex 414 4.8 
			 Gloucestershire 1 0.0 
			 GMP 611 7.0 
			 Gwent 0 0.0 
			 Hampshire 331 3.8 
			 Hertfordshire 316 3.6 
			 Humberside 30 0.3 
			 Kent 835 9.6 
			 Lancashire 174 2.0 
			 Leicestershire 452 5.2 
			 Lincolnshire 2 0.0 
			 Merseyside 41 0.5 
			 MET 2,593 29.8 
			 Norfolk 12 0.1 
			 North Wales 371 4.3 
			 North Yorkshire 20 0.2 
			 Northamptonshire 43 0.5 
			 Northumbria 0 0.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 34 0.4 
			 South Wales 425 4.9 
			 South Yorkshire 179 2.1 
			 Staffordshire 58 0.7 
			 Suffolk 253 2.9 
			 Surrey 9 0.1 
			 Sussex 83 1.0 
			 TVP 530 6.1 
			 Warwickshire 474 5.4 
			 West Mercia 0 0.0 
			 West Midlands 628 7.2 
			 West Yorkshire 700 8.0 
			 Wiltshire 6 0.1 
			 (1) Based on number of nights in 2008 that Safeguard was available to 27/28 March 
		
	
	Police cells were used to hold prisoners regularly from 1982 until 1993 and from 1994 to 1995, and use peaked when more than 1,000 prisoners a night were being regularly held in police cells in 1988 and in 1990-92 (based on end of month data).

Prisoners: Rehabilitation

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to introduce dedicated funding for alcohol misuse treatment services in all prisons.

David Hanson: A range of interventions to support those with an alcohol problem are already in place as follows:
	clinical services (alcohol detoxification and health care support), available in all local and remand prisons, as well as some young offender institutions;
	Alcoholics Anonymous run groups in 67 per cent. of prisons;
	where alcohol is part of poly-drug misuse, (counselling, assessment, referral, advice and throughcare (CARAT) services) are available in all prisons with the exception of Blantyre House prison;
	for those prisoners benefiting from the roll-out of the Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS), a 90 minute alcohol awareness session has been developed;
	a 12-Step programme is being piloted at Bullingdon prison; and
	the Young Persons Substance Misuse Service for 16 to 18-year-olds provides support for those with both alcohol and drug problems in 18 prisons.
	There are no current plans to introduce dedicated funding for alcohol misuse treatment services in prisons.

Prisoners: Training

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the  (a) initial contract value and  (b) outturn in each year since establishment was of each contracted-out secure training centre.

David Hanson: The information requested is commercially sensitive and may not be disclosed.

Prisoners: Training

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of each  (a) place and  (b) offender in each contracted-out secure training centre in each year since establishment.

David Hanson: The Youth Justice Board has been responsible for overseeing the contracts for the four secure training centres (STC) since 1 April 2000. Data are available from that date. The pricing mechanism is not based on the cost-per-young-person, but on cost-per-available-place. Detailed cost information is commercially sensitive, but the average annual cost of a secure training centre place, excluding VAT, is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year  Average cost per place at a secure training centre () 
			 2000-01 132,000 
			 2001-02 134,000 
			 2002-03 131,000 
			 2003-04 136,000 
			 2004-05 143,000 
			 2005-06 145,000 
			 2006-07 149,000 
			  Source:  Data provided by the Youth Justice Board from financial systems.

Prisoners: Training

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what liquidated damage clauses there are in each contract of each contracted-out secure training centre (STC); how many times those clauses were used in respect of each STC in each year since establishment; and how much was paid by each centre in each year.

David Hanson: There are liquidated damages clauses in each secure training centre contract. Hassockfield, Rainsbrook and Oakhill secure training centres all made liquidated damages payments in their first year of operation. Payments are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Establishment  Year of opening  Liquidated damages payments () 
			 Hassockfield 1999 35,759.20 
			 Medway 1998 0.00 
			 Oakhill 2004 311,797.20 
			 Rainsbrook 1999 155,152.20 
			  Source:  Data provided by the Youth Justice Board.

Prisons: Cells

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many prisoners held in a cell designed for two cellmates shared their cell with two others in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many prisoners held in a cell designed for one inmate shared their cell with one other in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is in the process of collating a complete set of figures for 2007-08 at present. The following tables show the average number of prisoners reported as being doubled in cells certified to hold one person and trebled in cells certified to hold two persons, for 2006-07 and 2007-08 to the end of February. Data for 2007-08 remain provisional.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of prisoners trebling up in cells designed for two 
			 2006-07 1,090 
			 2007-08 (April-February) 1,129 
		
	
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of prisoners doubling up in cells designed for one 
			 2006-07 18,588 
			 2007-08 (April-February) 19,231

Sentencing

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 562W, on sentencing, 
	(1)  what the figures in the table represented as a percentage of the total number of people convicted of a third class A drug trafficking offence in each year since 2000; and what the average sentence was of all those convicted of such an offence in each of those years;
	(2)  what the figures in the table represented as a percentage of the total number of people convicted of a third domestic burglary offence in each year since 2000; and what the average sentence was of all those convicted of such an offence in each of those years.

David Hanson: I am unable to answer the questions, because the Courts Proceedings Database does not include criminal histories.
	The Courts Proceedings Database does not allow us to identify all those offenders who have committed their third class A drug trafficking offence or third domestic burglary. We can identify those who were given the minimum only through a specific disposal code. To identify all these individuals would require us to extract data from the Police National Computer (PNC). This would take time and we think would not be reliable for drug trafficking as our extract of PNC records police prosecutions only. In addition, the results from the two separate administrative systems may not be directly comparable due to differences in recording practice.

Sentencing

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of  (a) males and  (b) females given prison sentences in each of the last 10 years were aged (i) below 16, (ii) 16 to 18, (iii) 19 to 21, (iv) 22 to 25, (v) 26 to 30, (vi) 31 to 40, (vii) 41 to 50 and (viii) 51 years or over; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The requested information is contained in the following tables. The data are broken down into the age groups of juveniles (10-17), young adults (18-20) and adults (21+).
	For persons aged 21 and over this includes all adult persons where the age has not been reported to the Ministry of Justice.
	Statistics for 2007 will be published in the autumn.
	
		
			  Number of persons sentenced( 1)  and given immediate custody by age and sex, all courts, England and Wales, 1997 to 2006 
			  Number of persons and percentages 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001 
			  Age group  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2)  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2)  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2)  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2)  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2) 
			  Male   
			 10 to 17 6,775 7.7 6,881 7.3 7,244 7.4 6,968 7.1 7,147 7.3 
			 18 to 20 15,143 17.1 16,152 17.2 17,048 17.4 17,324 17.6 16,882 17.2 
			 21 + 66,417 75.2 70,966 75.5 73,527 75.2 73,995 75.3 74,183 75.5 
			 Total 88,335 100 93,999 100 97,819 100 98,287 100 98,212 100 
			
			  Female   
			 10 to 17 308 5.6 336 5.1 409 5.5 446 5.6 449 5.6 
			 18 to 20 642 11.7 851 13.0 963 12.8 1,117 14.1 1,066 13.2 
			 21 + 4,292 78.0 5,100 77.7 5,767 76.9 5,933 75.1 6,106 75.7 
			 Total 5,506 100 6,567 100 7,504 100 7,900 100 8,061 100 
		
	
	
		
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  Age group  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2)  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2)  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2)  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2)  Immediate custody  Percentage of total( 2) 
			  Male   
			 10 to 17 6,886 6.7 5,776 5.8 5,881 6.0 5,512 5.9 5,730 6.5 
			 18 to 20 16,290 15.9 14,465 14.6 13,817 14.2 13,351 14.4 13,046 14.8 
			 21 + 79,600 77.4 78,619 79.5 77,870 79.8 74,092 79.7 69,397 78.7 
			 Total 102,776 100 98,860 100 97,568 100 92,955 100 88,173 100 
			
			  Female   
			 10 to 17 530 6.0 424 4.8 444 5.1 503 6.1 453 5.8 
			 18 to 20 1,073 12.2 973 11.0 819 9.4 880 10.6 851 10.8 
			 21 + 6,750 76.4 6,943 78.8 7,093 81.0 6,545 79.0 6,540 83.4 
			 Total 8,831 100 8,810 100 8,754 100 8,281 100 7,844 100 
			 (1) Principal offence basis. (2 )Percentage of the total number of males and females respectively sentenced for all ages, all courts.  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source:  RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice

Sentencing

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average age was of  (a) males and  (b) females given a custodial sentence in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: All adult offenders where the age has not been reported to the Ministry of Justice are assumed to be age 25. This will create a bias in the calculation of average age and therefore we do not produce figures on this basis.

Sentencing: Young People

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many sentences were given to young offenders, broken down by type of offence, in each of the last 10 years.

David Hanson: The available information is contained in the table.
	Statistics for 2007 will be published in the autumn.
	
		
			  Number of persons sentenced( 1)  by type of offence and age group, all courts, England and Wales, 1997-2006 
			  Number of persons 
			Year 
			  Age group  Offence group  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  10 to 17( 2) Violence against the person 5,886 5,994 6,005 6,424 6,910 6,870 6,577 6,902 7,444 7,559 
			  Sexual offences 468 468 488 467 510 557 448 587 556 500 
			  Burglary 8,624 8,487 7,766 6,849 6,267 6,418 5,752 5,935 6,045 6,169 
			  Robbery 2,343 2,169 2,039 2,238 2,789 2,804 2,638 2,964 3,089 3,733 
			  Theft and handling stolen goods 19,573 21,840 22,627 21,006 20,556 18,436 16,540 16,798 17,061 16,351 
			  Fraud and forgery 806 962 1,078 1,017 1,012 945 810 762 692 601 
			  Criminal damage 2,255 2,290 2,682 2,576 2,897 2,908 2,946 3,234 3,274 3,678 
			  Drug offences 1,845 2,748 3,107 3,739 4,342 4,958 5,144 4,479 4,626 4,460 
			  Other indictable offences 4,131 4,172 4,310 4,388 4,318 4,446 4,272 4,612 4,497 4,134 
			  Indictable motoring offences 370 427 447 556 668 767 817 738 583 525 
			  Summary offences (excluding motoring) 22,031 25,488 26,982 27,728 28,495 28,354 28,746 32,190 33,515 34,020 
			  Summary motoring offences 10,760 11,249 12,629 14,492 16,721 17,085 17,841 16,987 14,821 12,076 
			 
			  18 to 20( 3) Violence against the person 5,789 6,385 6,352 6,393 6,336 6,666 6,521 6,748 6,998 7,457 
			  Sexual offences 246 292 275 251 269 284 273 293 351 360 
			  Burglary 7,098 6,841 6,511 5,761 4,829 4,639 4,096 3,810 3,636 3,723 
			  Robbery 1,267 1,303 1,236 1,266 1,440 1,479 1,317 1,459 1,387 1,642 
			  Theft and handling stolen goods 20,036 21,651 22,856 21,890 20,137 17,938 15,321 13,653 12,516 11,981 
			  Fraud and forgery 2,158 2,470 2,845 2,601 2,577 2,310 2,117 1,946 1,750 1,427 
			  Criminal damage 1,798 1,809 1,773 1,702 1,710 1,676 1,737 1,771 1,854 2,079 
			  Drug offences 6,445 8,110 8,409 8,092 8,217 8,634 8,701 5,680 5,445 5,841 
			  Other indictable offences 8,256 8,680 8,432 8,187 7,898 8,110 8,148 8,560 8,138 7,903 
			  Indictable motoring offences 1,281 1,172 1,199 1,172 1,223 1,328 1,380 1,321 1,143 1,035 
			  Summary offences (excluding motoring) 39,868 44,834 43,472 44,399 44,484 45,910 47,613 47,062 46,217 48,190 
			  Summary motoring offences 62,217 63,575 62,052 60,376 58,787 60,410 64,843 64,096 56,616 51,056 
			 (1) Principal offence basis. (2) 10 to 17-year-olds are classed as juveniles. (3) 18 to 20-year-olds are classed as young offenders.  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice

Suicide Prevention Strategy

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will consider whether any revision of legislation is required to assist the work of the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: We are considering whether the law in this area could sensibly be strengthened or clarified and will announce our conclusions shortly.

Suicide Prevention Strategy

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases of successful prosecution for online promotion of suicide there have been; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray) on 26 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1521W.
	Data collected on prosecutions for assisting or attempting to assist suicide does not differentiate between online and off-line actions but the overall number of prosecutions for these offences is low.

Supervisions Orders: Costs

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the average cost of a supervision order was in England and Wales in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average cost of a supervision order was with  (a) one,  (b) two and  (c) three or more conditions in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	These data are not collected centrally.

Voting Behaviour

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans his Department has to  (a) consider,  (b) consult on and  (c) conduct research into compulsory voting; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: There are currently no plans to consider compulsory voting. However, we are considering the factors that motivate people to exercise their right to vote and how we can promote the act of voting as a civic duty tied to the rights and responsibilities we all share as citizens. I will be making further announcements on this in due course.

Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information his Department collects on the academic achievement of young people in custody; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department does not hold central records on the achievements of young people in custody. Under the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS), rolled out across England in August 2006, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) collects data on the academic achievements of young people in Young Offender Institutions. The LSC records literacy, numeracy, ICT and vocational training qualifications separately as well as GCSEs and AS/A level and any personal and social skills qualifications. However, for young people in custody still registered at learning providers in the community, their achievements will be attributed to the learning provider with which they are registered, rather than the custodial establishment's LSC provider. Therefore the LSC figures do not provide records of 'all' of the academic achievements of 'all' young people in YOIs. The LSC figures also do not include the academic achievements of young people in Secure Children's Homes or Secure Training Centres. However, in the context of the Green Paper a settlement was announced in the Children's Plan. We are examining how the academic projects and attainment of all young people in custody can be collected and monitored.